Yahaya Bello: EFCC confirms refund of $760,000 advanced school fees from American School

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission recently confirmed that they have received a refund of $760,000 paid as advanced school fees by a former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, for his children who were studying at the American International School in Abuja.

The EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, confirmed this news in Abuja on Friday.

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

Recall that on Friday, the American International School of Abuja had asked the EFCC to provide “authentic banking details” for the refund of fees paid for the children of the former governor.

EFCC had accused Yahaya Bello of paying the sum of $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.

On April 17, EFCC operatives laid siege on Bello’s residence in Abuja in an attempt to arrest him over an alleged N80.2 billion fraud.

While the operatives were at the house, Usman Ododo, governor of Kogi, arrived at the property and reportedly whisked Bello away.

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.

It added, “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 ASIA.”