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Former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, has released a statement to address allegations made by the Economic Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) regarding the payment of his children’s school fees.
The controversy began when the EFCC Chairman, Mr. Olanipekun Olukoyede, alleged during a media briefing on April 23, 2024, that Bello had withdrawn funds from the Kogi State Government account to pay his children’s school fees just before leaving office.
In response to these allegations, Bello’s media office issued a statement on April 26, 2024, signed by Ohiare Michael, providing detailed clarifications on the matter.
The statement emphasized that the payments for the school fees of Bello’s children had commenced in 2021, well before the time he was to leave office.
It also clarified that the fees were not paid with funds from the coffers of the Kogi State Government.
The statement further highlighted that a member of the family had challenged the EFCC’s actions to recover the funds, leading to a court ruling in their favor.
The FCT High Court, in Suit No. FCT/HC/2574/2023, ruled that the American International School Abuja (AISA) could not refund the fees paid by the parties to the suit.
The court mandated that AISA continue to provide the services for which the fees had been paid.
Additionally, the statement pointed out that all the documents published online by the EFCC, including receipts and letters, were public documents filed by lawyers in the suit.
This shows that Bello has nothing to hide with regard to the payment of advance fees for his children.
The controversy surrounding the payment of school fees is also the subject of Charge No.FHC/CR/573/2022, filed by the EFCC since December 15, 2022, at the Federal High Court, Abuja.
The case is still pending, and the court has yet to make any findings or convict anyone in respect of the said sum.
This clarification from former Governor Yahaya Bello comes amidst a broader context of allegations and legal challenges he has faced, including what his office describes as “unending harassment and persecution.”
The statement underscores the former governor’s commitment to transparency and his assertion that the fees were paid in a legitimate manner.
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