Yahaya Bello in court
A prosecution witness has told the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Maitama, Abuja, that more than $760,000 was paid in advance school fees for the children of former Yahaya Bello at the American International School Abuja (AISA).
The witness, Nicholas Okehone, an internal auditor at the school and the 14th prosecution witness, revealed this while testifying before trial judge Maryann Anineh on Thursday.
The case is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which has charged Bello alongside Umar Shuaibu Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu with 16 counts of criminal breach of trust involving N110.4 billion.
According to the anti-graft agency, Bello—who served as governor of Kogi State from January 2016 to January 2024—allegedly conspired with the co-defendants to divert public funds from the state government.
School Fees Payments Revealed
During testimony led by prosecution lawyer Kemi Pinheiro, Okehone told the court that Bello had four children enrolled at AISA.
The children were identified as Zahra Fatima Bello, Na’ima Bello, Nana Fatima Bello, and Farid Bello.
He also confirmed that Zayyan Ali Bello, the son of Bello’s nephew Ali Bello, was among those who benefited from the payments.
The EFCC presented several documents to the court, including admission letters, agreements for prepaid school fees until graduation, bank transfer records from TD Bank, email correspondence, receipts, and statements from Zenith Bank.
Okehone explained that Ali Bello signed an agreement for prepaid school fees covering the Bello family until graduation, including potential future students.
He then detailed several payments made in U.S. dollars, including:
$99,200 and $89,400 paid by Forza Oil and Gas for two of the children
$11,000 paid by Whales Oil and Gas for Fareeda Oricha
$78,160 and $42,170 paid by Aleshua Solutions for two other students
$100,000 paid by Manzi Issa from Uganda for Zayyan Ali Bello
$90,000 paid by Dada Grand Merchant Limited, also from Uganda
Additional transfers ranging from $29,575 to $78,135 were also recorded in the school’s TD Bank account.
Okehone confirmed that all the payments aligned with the prepaid school fees agreement and stated that $760,910.64 was eventually refunded by the school to an account provided by the EFCC through the Central Bank of Nigeria.
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Properties Also Under Scrutiny
Earlier in the proceedings, other witnesses testified about several high-value property transactions linked to the case.
One witness, James Igbakuleh, told the court that a property located at No. 1058, Cadastral Zone A08, Wuse 2, Abuja, measuring about 1,450.77 square metres, was sold for N650 million in 2021.
Another witness from Dantata and Sawoe Construction Company testified that the company sold a property in Gwarimpa II, Abuja, for N100 million, with payments made in instalments between February 17 and 22.
The court also heard about another property at 35 Danubi Street, Maitama, Abuja, consisting of four units of four-bedroom apartments, which was purchased for N950 million through White Tree Nigeria Limited.
The trial continues as the EFCC seeks to prove that the assets and payments were funded through diverted public funds.
Source:Abati media
