A financial auditor from the American International School, Abuja, has revealed that former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, paid a total of $1.6 million in tuition fees for his children, including an advance payment of $845,852 for future enrollments.

Testifying at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday, the school’s auditor, Nicholas Ojehomon, disclosed that the payments covered Bello’s children’s tuition until graduation.

He made the revelation while appearing as a prosecution witness for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

According to Ojehomon, the payments were made in two tranches, with a significant portion serving as pre-payment for younger children who were yet to be enrolled.

The school’s financial records, presented in court, showed that Bello’s brother, Ali Bello, facilitated the transactions.

“Mr. Ali Bello contacted the school on August 13, requesting to pay the Bello children’s school fees until they graduate. The school management accepted his offer,” Ojehomon testified.

The payments covered four of Bello’s children, enrolled in Grades 8, 6, 4, and 2. Specific tuition amounts included $90,074 for a Grade 8 student, $87,470 for a Grade 6 student, $26,241 for a Grade 4 student, and $18,707 for a Grade 2 student.

The witness also presented a contractual agreement between the school and Ali Bello, detailing the prepayment arrangement.

EFCC counsel, Kemi Pinheiro (SAN), submitted the school’s admission records and prepaid tuition fee documents as exhibits.

When asked whether any funds were refunded to the EFCC, Ojehomon stated, “$760,910.84 was refunded.”

He further confirmed that the EFCC provided a Central Bank of Nigeria account for the transaction.

The second prosecution witness, Williams from UBA, presented additional financial documents, including statements from accounts linked to Bello’s administration.

She testified that multiple withdrawals were made via cheques from the Kogi State Government House account.

According to her, these transactions—often split into N10 million tranches—were primarily issued to Abdulsalam Hudu and Aminu J.O.

She confirmed that on December 12, 2018, “Ten transactions of N10 million each were processed in favor of Abdulsalam Hudu.”

Williams also identified key account signatories, including Christopher Enefola (Permanent Secretary), Onekutu Daniel (Chief Accountant), and Abdulsalam Hudu (Accountant).

However, under cross-examination, she admitted that Bello’s name did not appear in any transactions related to the Kogi Government House account.

“The name Yahaya Bello does not feature in exhibits P1 to P27,” defense counsel Daudu pointed out. Williams confirmed, “The name Bello did not appear anywhere.”

She further acknowledged that she was not the account officer managing the Kogi Government House account, which was handled from Lokoja, Kogi State, rather than her branch in Area 3, Abuja.

Justice Emeka Nwite adjourned the trial to yesterday for continuation of proceedings.

It was reported on December 21, 2023,  that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had seized $760,910.84 which the then-Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State paid to American International School, Abuja, as prepaid tuition for his four children until graduation. The EFCC alleged that the payment was linked to money laundering.

Documents obtained from the school revealed that Bello, through his nephew Ali Bello, had entered into an agreement with the school to prepay his children’s tuition to secure their education. The agreement was signed on August 23, 2021, and, following its execution, $845,852.84 was deposited into the school’s account in multiple installments.

As part of its investigation, the EFCC invited the school authorities for questioning through a letter dated September 7, 2023—approximately a year after the final payment.

During these interrogations, the EFCC discovered that  the prepaid tuition funds were proceeds of crime.

The agency further stated that the school had unknowingly been used as a money laundering conduit and demanded a refund of the funds into a designated Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) account.

According to the documents, the EFCC informed the school that it had the authority to seize the total amount or a portion thereof. However, after reviewing the academic history of Bello’s children, the agency ruled that the fees covering ongoing school sessions at the time were legitimate and exempted $84,942.00. The EFCC then formally demanded the transfer of the remaining $760,910.84 to its CBN account.

Following this development, the school management wrote to the EFCC on October 27, 2022, requesting an official written demand for the refund. The anti-graft agency complied, providing payment instructions. The school then transferred $1,000 initially, followed by the remaining $759,910.84 to the EFCC’s designated account.