Crime
Abuja American school agrees to refund N1.64billion paid into its account by Yahaya Bello in the name of his children’s school fees
The American International School of Abuja has asked the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to provide “authentic banking details” for the refund of fees paid for the children of the immediate past governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello.
Bello paid $760,910 in advance as fees for five of his children from the coffers of the Kogi State Government.
The children are in Grade Levels 2 to 8 at the school.
At the rate of N1,400 to a Dollar, $760,000 amounts to N1.64billion.
On April 17, EFCC operatives laid siege on Bello’s residence in Abuja in an attempt to arrest him over an alleged N80.2 billion fraud.
While the operatives were at the house, Usman Ododo, governor of Kogi, arrived at the property and reportedly whisked Bello away.
In a letter addressed to the Lagos Zonal Commander of the EFCC, the school said the sum of $845,852 has been paid in tuition “since the 7th of September 2021 to date.”
AISA said the sum to be refunded is $760,910 because it had deducted educational services already rendered.
“Please forward to us an official written request, with the authentic banking details of the EFCC, for the refund of the above-mentioned funds as previously indicated as part of your investigation into the alleged money laundering activities by the Bello family,” the letter reads.
It added, “Since the 7th September 2021 to date, $845,852.84 in tuition and other fees have been deposited into our bank account.
“We have calculated the net amount to be transferred and refunded to the State, after deducting the educational services rendered as $760,910.84.
“No further additional fees are expected in respect of tuition as the students’ fees have now been settled until they graduate from ASIA.”
The school said it would draw the attention of the anti-graft agency if there were any further deposits by the Bello family.
In a statement signed by Greg Hughes, AISA also said “Ali Bello contacted the school on Friday 13 August 2021 requesting to pay the family school fees in advance until the students graduate from High School”.
The Chairman of the EFCC, Ola Olukoyede, had earlier revealed that the former governor transferred $720,000 from the government’s coffers to a bureau de change before leaving office to pay in advance for his child’s school fee.
Olukoyede revealed this during an interview with journalists on Tuesday in Abuja.
He said, “A sitting governor, because he knows he is going, moved money directly from government to bureau de change, used it to pay the child’s school fee in advance, $720,000 in advance, in anticipation that he was going to leave the Government House.
“In a poor state like Kogi, and you want me to close my eyes to that under the guise of ‘I’m being used.’ Being used by who at this stage of my life?”
Hannatu Ibrahim, a 28-years old cook, has been arrested by the Gombe State Police Command for allegedly stealing $35,000 (N53,495,400) belonging to her Syrian employer.
In a statement made available to newsmen in Gombe on Wednesday, DSP Buhari Abdullahi, the Command’s spokesperson, said two other suspects were also arrested in connection with the alleged theft.
Abdullahi said that Ibrahim, a cook, after allegedly stealing the money also set her employer’s house on fire.
He said a report was received on Saturday from Mohammed Jurdi, a Syrian expatriate with Triacter Nigeria Limited, who alleged that Ibrahim stole $35,000 (N53,495,400) belonging to him and set his house ablaze.
“Upon receipt of the call, Police patrol team from Gombe Division swiftly swung into action and arrested the prime suspect, Hannatu Ibrahim.
“Upon investigation, she was found in possession of 7,100 US Dollars,” he said.
Abdullahi said that further investigation led to the arrest of two other suspects in connection with the crime as one of the two suspects was arrested with $100 note received from Ibrahim.
He said a total of $7, 200 was recovered as exhibits from the suspects, adding that the case would soon be charged to court upon completion of investigation.
Police operatives in Gombe State have rescued a 22-year-old housewife from Wuro-Waila, Kumo community, after five days in captivity.
Buhari Abdullahi, the Command’s spokesperson, said that on March 19 at about 1:30pm, a formal complaint was received from one Usaini Magaji, 36, that six men with a single barrel gun and sticks invaded his residence.
According to the command spokesman, Magaji informed the police that the armed men shot into the air and then abducted his wife, Amina Hussaini.
“On receipt of the report, policemen from Akko Divisional headquarters, led by CSP Chama Yakubu, visited the scene of Incident, where two empty shells of single barrel cartridges was recovered.”
Abdullahi said the police immediately commenced investigation, raiding black spots and tracking the fleeing abductors
He said that that when the heat on the suspects was too much, they released their victim on Tuesday at about 3:00pm and took to their heels, escaping into the bush.
The command’s spokesman said that Mrs Amina Hussaini has since been reunited with her family after receiving medical attention.
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