Former Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello, has debunked the report that he paid his children’s school fees from the coffers of Kogi State, News About Nigeria reports.
He debunked this in a statement signed by Ohiare Michael, clearing the air on the details of the purported reports by the EFCC.
Recall that on Tuesday, April 23, 2024, the EFCC’s chairman, Ola Olukoyede, alleged during a media briefing that Bello withdrew funds from the Kogi State Government account to pay his children’s school fees, just before leaving office.
The American International School of Abuja (AISA), where the ex-governor’s children currently study, stated in a letter that it will reimburse the $760k paid by Yahaya Bello, for the fees of his children to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
According to them, the sum of $845,852 has been paid in tuition since September 7, 2021, to date.
Reacting to the reports, Bello stated that they were misleading, noting that his children had been attending the school even before he became governor and that he had never defaulted on their payments.
He maintained that the payment commenced in 2021 and not when he was about to leave office, as stated by the anti-graft agency.
“While we reserve our rights to seek redress against the said defamatory statements, permit us to briefly state the following for the purpose of setting 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, Alhaji Yahaya Bello did not pay the sum of USD720,000 as alleged by the EFCC Chairman or USD840,000 as is being bandied about on the internet.
“The payment of the fees was not effected at about the time his Excellency was to leave office as claimed by Mr. Olukoyede but the same commenced in 2021.
“Alhaji Yahaya Bello DID NOT pay the fees of his children with monies from the coffers of the Kogi State Government,” he said.
He also noted that all the documents published online, including the receipts and letters, that the EFCC released online, are documents filed by lawyers in the suit instituted on behalf of Yahaya Bello and others who paid fees for their wards under the Advance Fee Payment Agreement with AISA, adding that it is a sign that the former governor has nothing to hide.
