By Ken Afor
The American International School of Abuja has reportedly remitted $760,910.84 to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
This sum constitutes a portion of the $845,852 allegedly paid by the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello as school fees for five of his children enrolled at the institution.
The payment to the anti-graft agency follows an investigation into the former governor’s alleged misappropriation of public funds during his tenure.
The EFCC had traced the substantial school fees deposit to accounts purportedly funded by state coffers.
The fees were intended to cover a period of 14 years, from 2021 to 2035, according to court documents filed by the EFCC to support its case against the ex-governor.
“The American school refunded the school fees in two tranches. Initially, it returned $720,000 to the EFCC and later $40,910,” a source in EFCC told The Nation.
“Following mutual agreement with the EFCC, the school decided to retain some fees (I think $84,942) for its services.
When contacted, the Head of Media and Publicity of EFCC, Mr. Dele Oyewale, confirmed that “the school has refunded $760,910 to this commission.”
The EFCC spokesman further confirmed that “the school officially sent a letter of offer to refund to the Lagos Zonal Commander of the EFCC before effecting the payment.”
It would be recalled that the school’s management, in a letter addressed to the Lagos zonal commander of the EFCC, requested that the anti-graft agency provide verified banking details for reimbursing the fees paid for the children of the former governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello.
They disclosed that the sum of $845,852 had been paid for tuition from September 7, 2021, to date.
The school stated that the refundable amount is $760,910 after deducting fees for educational services already provided.
The letter said in part: “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 Bello family.
“Since the 7th September 2021 to date, $845,852.84 in tuition and other fees have 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.
“No further additional fees are expected in respect of tuition as the students’ fees have now been settled until they graduate from AISA.”
TheNewDiplomat reports that chairman of the EFCC, Ola Olukoyede had last Tuesday revealed that how Bello allegedly withdrew $720,000 from the government account to a Bureau de Change, to pay for his child’s school fees in advance.
This follows the 19 counts bordering on alleged money laundering, breach of trust, and misappropriation of funds to N80.2 billion the anti-graft agency levelled against the former Kogi State Governor.
