Yahaya Bello: American School refunds $760,000 to EFCC

American International School of Abuja (AISA) has refunded the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) the sum of $760,000 paid by former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello in advance for his children's school fees.

The EFCC spokesman, Dele Oyewale, confirmed receipt of the fund on Friday, April 26, 2024, per The Punch.

“The school has refunded the entire $760, 000 to the EFCC’s recovery account,” Oyewale said.

This comes barely 24 hours after AISA asked the anti-graft commission to provide verifiable banking information for the refund of fees paid for Bello's children.

The EFCC had alleged that the embattled former governor paid $720,000 in advance as fees for five of his children from the coffers of the Kogi State government.

The children are in Grade Levels 2 to 8 at the school.

AISA writes EFCC

AISA, in a letter addressed to the Lagos Zonal Commander of the EFCC, said the Bello family had paid the sum of $845,852 in tuition “since the 7th of September 2021 to date.”

However, the school said it would refund $760,910 because it had deducted educational services already rendered.

“Please forward to us an official written request, with the authentic banking details of the EFCC, for the refund of the above-mentioned funds as previously indicated as part of your investigation into the alleged money laundering activities by the Bello family.

“Since the 7th of September 2021 to date, $845,852.84 in tuition and other fees have been deposited into our bank account," the letter reads.

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EFCC chairman accuses Bello

The Chairman of the EFCC, Ola Olukoyede, had earlier revealed how Bello transferred $720,000 from the Kogi government's accounts in the twilight of his administration to a bureau de change for his child’s school fee.

“A sitting governor, because he knows he is going, moved money directly from government to bureau de change, used it to pay the child’s school fee in advance, $720,000 in advance, in anticipation that he was going to leave the Government House.

“In a poor state like Kogi, and you want me to close my eyes to that under the guise of ‘I’m being used.’ Being used by who at this stage of my life?” Olukoyede said.

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EFCC and Yahaya Bello's saga

Bello has been evading the EFCC as the commission sought his arraignment over an alleged ₦80.2 billion fraud.

The former Governor escaped by the whiskers when officials of the anti-graft agency laid siege to his Abuja residence on Wednesday, April 17, 2024, to effect his arrest.

His successor, Governor Usman Ododo, reportedly aided his escape when he allegedly whisked Bello away to an unknown location using his immunity privilege.

To smoke out the embattled former governor from his hiding, the EFCC declared him wanted. At the same time, the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) also placed him on its watchlist, while the Nigerian Police withdrew his security details.