The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has written to the American International School of Abuja (AISA) to refund the sum of $760,910.84 paid for the children of the immediate-past governor of Kogi State Yahaya Bello.
This comes after the EFCC chairman Ola Olukoyede said at a press conference earlier in the week that Bello withdrew $720,000 from the state’s coffers to pay his children’s school fees in advance.
The EFCC boss alleged that the former Kogi governor transferred money from the state coffers to a bureau de change operator, and used the money for his child’s school fee.
“A sitting governor, because he knew he was leaving office, moved money directly from the government to Bureau de change and used it to pay his child’s school fee in advance,” the EFCC boss said.
“Over $720,000 in anticipation that he was going to leave the government house.”
On Friday, court documents showing the school’s response asking the anti-graft agency to provide “authentic banking details” for the refund of fees leaked on social media.
The ex-governor’s children are in grade level 2 to 8 at the school.
In a letter addressed to the Lagos zonal commander of the EFCC, the school said the sum of $845,852 has been paid in tuition “since the 7th of September 2021 to date”.
AISA said the sum to be refunded is $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,” the letter reads.
“Since the 7th September 2021 to date, $845,852.84 (Eight Hundred and Forty Five Thousand, Eight Hundred and Fifty Two US Dollars and eighty four cents) in tuition and other fees has been deposited into our Bank account.
“We have calculated the net amount to be transferred and refunded to the State, after deducting the educational services rendered as $760,910.84. (Seven Hundred and Sixty Thousand, Nine Hundred and Ten US Dollars and Eighty Four cents).
“No further additional fees are expected in respect of tuition as the students’ fees have now been settled until they graduate from ASIA.”
The school said it will draw the attention of the anti-graft agency if there are any further deposits by the Bello family.
In a statement signed by Greg Hughes, AISA also said “Ali Bello contacted the school on Friday 13 August 2021 requesting to pay the family school fees in advance until the students graduate from High School.”
As of press time, Bello had yet to appear before the Federal High Court in Abuja to take his plea in the fraud charges filed against him.
