EFCC witness details $760,910 school fees payment for Yahaya Bello’s children

A prosecution witness in the alleged ₦110.4 billion fraud trial of former Kogi State governor, Yahaya Adoza Bello, has told the court that $760,910.84 was paid in advance as school fees for the former governor’s children at the American International School Abuja (AISA).

The witness, Nicholas Okehone, an internal auditor with the school, disclosed this on Thursday while testifying before Justice Maryanne Anineh of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory sitting in Maitama, Abuja.

Bello is standing trial alongside Umar Shuaibu Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu on a 16-count charge bordering on criminal breach of trust and money laundering involving an alleged ₦110.4 billion.

While being led in evidence by prosecution counsel, Prof. Kemi Pinheiro (SAN), Okehone confirmed that Bello had four children enrolled at the school.

“Yes, I know him as a parent. He has four children at the American International School, Abuja,” the witness said, naming Zahra, Na’ima, Nana Fatima and Farid Bello among the students. He also mentioned Zayyan Ali Bello, son of Ali Bello, a nephew to the former governor, as a beneficiary of the payments.

Okehone further identified several documents tendered before the court, including admission letters, certificates of identification, a pre-payment agreement covering school fees until graduation, bank payment records, email correspondence between the school and Ali Bello, as well as statements of account from Zenith Bank and TD Bank.

Despite objections from defence counsel led by Paul Daudu (SAN), Justice Anineh admitted the documents as exhibits.

The witness told the court that the school had signed an agreement with Ali Bello for advance payment of school fees for the listed students until graduation.

According to him, payments were made through several international transfers from different companies and individuals, including funds from Forza Oil and Gas, Whales Oil and Gas and Alyeshua Solutions Services.

He added that additional payments were made through Unnati General Trading LLC via First Abu Dhabi Bank in the United Arab Emirates, while other transfers came from individuals and firms in Uganda.

Okehone said records from the school’s TD Bank account confirmed several inflows consistent with the transactions.

“I confirm that all the payments are in line with the agreement to pay school fees in advance,” he told the court.

The witness also stated that the school later refunded the money after receiving correspondence from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

According to him, the school refunded the total sum of $760,910.84 to an EFCC account with the Central Bank of Nigeria.

Earlier in the proceedings, another prosecution witness, Yakubu Haruna, testified about the sale of a property located at 35 Danube Street in Maitama, Abuja.

He said the property, owned by Palchi Nigeria Limited, was sold in January 2022 to White Tree Nigeria Limited for ₦950 million, paid in United States dollars.

According to the witness, the payment was delivered in cash at an office in Zone 4, Abuja.

“A man came with the dollar equivalent of ₦950 million in Ghana-Must-Go bags,” he told the court, adding that the money was handed over to a Bureau de Change operator after confirmation.

Other witnesses also testified during the hearing, including Access Bank compliance officer Olomotane Egoro and legal practitioner James Bem Igbakymeh, who spoke about the sale of another property in Wuse II, Abuja, for ₦650 million.

Another witness, Mohammed Abdulaziz, chief accountant of Dantata and Sawoe Construction Company Limited, also testified about the sale of land in Gwarimpa II District, Abuja, to Azba Real Estate Limited for ₦100 million.

After taking the testimonies, Justice Anineh adjourned the case to May 5 and 8, as well as June 16 and 17, 2026, for the hearing of pending applications and continuation of the trial.