An official of the American International School, Abuja, told the Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday that former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, paid a total of $1,606,763.68 in school fees for his children, including $845,852 as an advance for his younger children’s future enrollment.
Nicholas Ojehomon, an auditor at the school, testified as a prosecution witness for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), confirming that the payments secured tuition for Bello’s children until graduation.
According to him, the amount was paid in two tranches, with one part allocated for future school fees.
The revelation comes as Bello faces an N80.2 billion fraud charge filed by the EFCC.
During the trial, the prosecution presented financial records, including statements from the American International School, detailing the payments.
At a previous hearing on January 29, Williams Abimbola, a compliance officer at United Bank for Africa (UBA), testified under subpoena and provided documents showing transactions related to the school fees.
The EFCC had earlier alleged that shortly before leaving office, Bello paid $760,000 in advance for his children’s tuition, an amount that was later refunded following an investigation.
On Thursday, Ojehomon told the court that Bello’s brother, Ali Bello, facilitated the payment process.
He stated that on August 13, 2021, Ali Bello contacted the school and offered to pay tuition fees for Bello’s children until they graduated, an arrangement that was accepted by the school management.
He revealed that payments covered four of Bello’s children enrolled in Grades 8, 6, 4, and 2, with additional funds set aside for future enrollments, scheduled to start in August 2022 if space was available.
Ojehomon also identified a contractual agreement between the school and Ali Bello regarding the prepayment arrangement.
The EFCC’s counsel, Kemi Pinheiro (SAN), tendered the school’s admission and prepaid tuition fee documents as exhibits.
When questioned about refunds, the witness confirmed that $760,910.84 was returned to an EFCC-provided account domiciled with the Central Bank of Nigeria.
Further testimony was given by Williams, a second prosecution witness from UBA, who presented additional financial records linked to Bello’s administration.
She told the court that multiple withdrawals, often in N10 million tranches, were made through cheques from the Kogi State Government House account, primarily issued to two individuals, Abdulsalam Hudu and Aminu J.O. She confirmed that on December 12, 2018, ten separate transactions of N10 million each were processed in favor of Abdulsalam Hudu.
She also named Christopher Enefola (Permanent Secretary), Onekutu Daniel (Chief Accountant), and Abdulsalam Hudu (Accountant) as key signatories on the account.
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However, under cross-examination, Williams admitted that Yahaya Bello’s name did not appear in any of the transactions related to the Kogi Government House account.
When defense counsel Daudu pointed this out, she confirmed that Bello’s name was absent from all exhibits presented.
She further clarified that she was not the account officer managing the Kogi Government House account, which was operated from Lokoja, not her branch in Abuja.
Justice Emeka Nwite adjourned the trial to Friday, March 6, for further proceedings.
