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Yahaya Bello’s Fraud Trial: Court Reveals How He Paid His Children’s School Fees in Dollars Till Graduation
In the ongoing trial of former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello, charged with an alleged ₦80.2 billion fraud, significant revelations emerged during the recent court proceedings. On March 6, 2025, the Federal High Court in Abuja, presided over by Justice Emeka Nwite, heard testimonies shedding light on financial transactions linked to the defendant.
Advance Payment of Children’s School Fees
Nicholas Ojehomon, an internal auditor at the American International School of Abuja (AISA), testified about the advance payment of school fees for Yahaya Bello’s children. Also, he identified the children as Zayan Bello, Zara Bello, Farid Bello, Na’ima Bello, and Nana Fatima Bello, each admitted in different academic years.
Ojehomon revealed that in 2021, Ali Bello, a cousin of Yahaya Bello, contacted AISA to prepay the children’s tuition fees in U.S. dollars until their graduation. In addition, the payments amounted to $90,074 for Farid Bello, $87,470 for Zara Bello, $26,241 for Na’ima Bello, and $18,707 for Nana Bello.
Financial Documentation and Refunds
The prosecution presented various documents, including AISA admission letters, prepaid tuition agreements, payment records, email correspondences between Ali Bello and the school, and account statements from TD Bank USA and AISA.
These were admitted as exhibits without objection. Additionally, a letter from AISA to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) indicated a refund of $750,910.84 to the EFCC, with instructions for the refund to be made to a Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) account.
Testimony on Kogi State Government House Account
Williams Abimbola, a compliance officer with the United Bank for Africa (UBA), testified about the Kogi State Government House account, revealing total credits of ₦53.56 billion and debits of ₦53.55 billion between January 2019 and December 2020. Also, she confirmed multiple ₦10 million withdrawals made in favor of Abdulsalam Hudu on December 12, 2018, processed via over-the-counter cheques.
American International School of Abuja
The American International School of Abuja, established in 1993, is a private, non-profit, coeducational institution offering programs from preschool through grade 12.
Located in Nigeria’s capital, AISA serves a diverse, multicultural community, providing a U.S.-based curriculum accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools.
The school year comprises two semesters, running from August to June, with approximately 182 instructional days. AISA’s mission is to “Challenge, Collaborate, Empower: Inspiring Global Citizens to be Lifelong Learners.”
Following these testimonies, Justice Nwite adjourned the trial to March 7, 2025, for continuation. The proceedings are closely monitored, given the serious nature of the allegations against the former governor.
The Federal Government has announced an extension of the NYSC programme. It can be noted that the NYSC camp orientation is usually for three weeks before the youths go out to gain experience, employment, and serve the country for one year.
However, the FG announced that the passing-out parade from camp will be cancelled, and corps members will now spend six weeks in camp instead of three weeks.
“The first two weeks speak to laying a foundation on civic responsibility. The next two weeks will look at career mapping, basic accounting literacy skills, business planning and access to finance. The final two weeks, we intend to have focused corps-stream-specific training aligned with the corps member’s designated stream based on his choice, academic background and skills profile.”
With the rainy season in Nigeria, many are wondering if the increase in flooding has now become the new normal. Lots of videos, clips, and complaints have literally flooded online, showing how badly roads, homes, and other places have been affected.
We were used to hearing about the rise of water on the Island since it is literally surrounded by water, but now floods are being spotted on the Mainland as well.
We may not know exactly why this is happening, but one thing is certain—we urgently need a lasting solution.
The federal government reacted to claims stating that the new tax rules will be imposed on telecommunications and petroleum products for Nigerians.
The FG released a statement to explain the process and stated that there is no intention to place taxes on telecom and petroleum products and services.
“Those recommendations do not amount to government policy and are not binding on Nigeria. Decisions on tax matters are taken through established constitutional and legislative processes and are guided by national priorities and prevailing economic realities.”
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