A prosecution witness during the week revealed in court that former Kogi State governor Yahaya Bello paid his children’s school fees in dollars, covering their tuition years in advance until graduation.
Testifying before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Abuja, Nicholas Ojehomon, an internal auditor at the American International School, Abuja (AISA), confirmed that payments were made in foreign currency.
“I did not know the defendant personally, but I am aware that he is a parent of children enrolled in our school,” Ojehomon stated. He identified the children as Zayan Bello, Zara Bello, Farid Bello, Na’ima Bello, and Nana Fatima Bello, confirming that their fees were settled in advance through Yahaya Bello’s cousin, Ali Bello.
The prosecution, led by Kemi Pinheiro (SAN), submitted key documents as evidence, including admission letters, a prepaid tuition agreement, teller copies, and bank statements from TD Bank USA. “The payments were substantial,” the witness testified, listing figures such as $90,074 for Farid Bello and $87,470 for Zara Bello.
Exhibit 17, a letter from AISA to the EFCC, indicated a request to refund a sum of $750,910.84 to the anti-graft agency, while Exhibit 18 confirmed the refund was directed to a Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) account.
A second witness, Williams Abimbola, a UBA compliance officer, also testified that N53.55 billion moved through the Kogi State Government House account between 2019 and 2020.
Justice Nwite adjourned the trial to Friday, March 7, 2025.
