The former governor of Kogi state, Yahaya Bello, has released a statement to clarify what he called misleading regarding allegations of using public funds to pay for his children’s school fees. Following the allegations made public on Tuesday, 23 April 23 2024 by the EFCC chairman Olanipekun Olukoyede during a media briefing.
According to Olukoyede, Bello withdrew funds from the Kogi State Government account to pay his children’s school fees, just before leaving office. Since the press conference, receipts purportedly showing payments of the said fees have circulated online, prompting a response from Bello’s media office. In response to the accusations, the embattled former governor released a statement signed by Ohiare Michael. The statement partly read, “While we reserve our rights to seek redress against the said defamatory statements, permit us to briefly state the following to set the records straight: “His Excellency, Yahaya Bello’s children have attended the American International School, Abuja well before he became Governor, and he has paid fees for his children as and when due and without fail. His Excellency, Yahaya Bello did not pay the sum of USD 720,000 as alleged by the EFCC Chairman or USD 840,000 as is being bandied about on the internet. The payment of the fees was not affected at about the time His Excellency was to leave office as claimed by Mr. Olukoyede but the same commenced in 2021. Yahaya Bello DID NOT pay the fees of his Children with monies from the Coffers of the Kogi State Government. When the EFCC approached the American International School Abuja (AISA) to illegally recover funds legitimately paid by Yahaya Bello and other family members, a member of the family challenged the EFCC’s unlawful acts to recover funds legitimately paid. The FCT High Court, in Suit No. FCT/HC/2574/2023 between Mr Ali Bello v. The Incorporated Trustees of American International School, Abuja, held that AISA could not lawfully and unilaterally refund to a third party, including the EFCC, fees paid by the parties to the suit. The Court subsequently mandated AISA to continue to provide the services it had been paid for. From the foregoing, no money belonging to Alhaji Yahaya Bello or his family members concerning school fees has been recovered by the EFCC.”
