Metro
American Int’l School Abuja to Refund $760K from Kogi Ex-Gov Bello’s Tuition Payment
According to a letter the school provided to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the American International School Abuja promised to reimburse Yahaya Bello, the former governor of Kogi State, $760,910.84 that he had paid for the children’s tuition in advance.
In December 2023, SaharaReporters exclusively revealed that the EFCC had confiscated $760,910.84 related to alleged money laundering from Bello’s payments to American International School, Abuja, which were intended to cover the tuition for four pupils until graduation.
The institution had received a request from the anti-graft agency for a repayment of funds that were allegedly obtained through wrongdoing.
The school asked the EFCC to provide it with a formal written request to that effect and to submit the commission’s bank information for a refund in a reply letter that was marked as exhibit H.
Part of the response letter that SaharaReporters saw said,
“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 dictated as part of your alleged money laundering activities by the Bello family.
“Since the 7th September 2021 to date $845,852.84 in tuition and other fees has 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.”
The EFCC had requested that the school reimburse Bello for the $845,000 he had paid toward his children’s tuition.
According to records that SaharaReporters was able to collect in December of last year, Governor Bello made a deal with the school through his nephew, Mr. Ali Bello, to pay his four children’s tuition up front until graduation in order to insure their future.
August 23, 2021, saw the signing and execution of the agreement. After the agreement was signed, different installments totaling $845.852.84 were deposited into the school account.
But after roughly a year, the anti-corruption organization, in the course of its monitoring duties, sent a letter dated September 7, 2023, inviting the school administration to a series of interviews related to the funds.
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According to sources who spoke with SaharaReporters, the EFCC mentioned that the advanced school fees were the proceeds of crime while questioning school authorities.
It ordered that the school return the funds to the agency through a special account with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), claiming that it was being used as an unintentional money laundering instrument.
“During the interviews, the EFCC further informed the school authorities that the commission was empowered to seize the total funds or any portion thereof.
“Following a review of the academic history of Governor Bello’s children with the school, the EFCC accepted that fees paid in relation to ongoing school sessions at the time did not amount to proceeds of crime and exempted the sum of $84.942.00.
“Subsequently, the commission made a demand for transfer of the of $760.910.84, representing advance tuition payment to its nominated account with the Central Bank of Nigeria,” documents obtained by SaharaReporters show.
Following the events, the administration of the school sent a letter to the EFCC on October 27, 2022, demanding an official written demand for the money’s return. However, the anti-graft agency supplied an account to which the funds were to be deposited.
The remaining $759,91084 was later paid to the account by the school after an initial $1,000 payment.
In the meantime, the EFCC is pursuing legal action against Ali Bello for a N3 billion scam.
Along with other defendants, Ali Bello was charged with eighteen charges of money laundering and misappropriation totaling around N3 billion in February before the Federal High Court.
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Iyada Sadat, Yakubu Adabenege, and Abba Adauda are the other co-defendants. Rashida Bello, another defendant, is not in custody.
Additionally, SaharaReporters exclusively revealed in December 2023 that Ali Bello had sued the American International School for allegedly breaching a contract requiring payment of tuition in advance until the graduation ceremony, which was scheduled to take place in 2021.
According to reports, he was suing the school administration for N100 million in damages, among other things, for returning $760,910.84 that had been placed into the school account for the education of Governor Bello’s children to the EFCC without a judge’s approval or his own consent.
According to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), 41 online fraudsters have been found guilty and sentenced to one year in prison each, with the possibility of a N100,000 fine.
The Federal High Court in Onitsha, Anambra State, presided over by Justices S. M. Shuaibu and Hauwa Inuwa, rendered the decision.
The EFCC stated in a post on its official X feed on Wednesday that the prisoners were placed in jail following their guilty pleas to one-count charges pertaining to gaining property by deception, possessing bogus documents, personating someone else, and helping to commit an offense.
The EFCC’s Enugu Zonal Command brought the charges against them.
Douglas James, Raphael Chikezie Uwakwe, Paul Chidera Kalu, Chisom Linus, Chiemezie Nweke, Eze Ugochukwu Stanley, Ndubuisi Nwafor, Ifeanyi Samuel, Nwosu Chukwuemeka, Madueke Emmanuel, and Edozie are among the prisoners, according to the statement. Godwin, Ahmed Fredrick Lukman, and Daniel Timothy Abonyi Chibuike Jude, Chukwuemelie Igboekwuna Christian, Okafor Vincent Chiemerie, Ugochukwu Raphael Ena, Chukwuemeka Franklin Obiji, Chukwuemelie Julius, and Okafor Chukwuma Desmaond.
Jezreel Arihiakamah Chinwendu, Paul Okereke Chiadi, Peter Chidera Iwu, Tochukwu Eze Solomon, Fred Chidera Okoye, Ezema Chiemerie Stanley, Emeka Ogbonna Daniel, Obinna Stanley Okafor, Udochukwu Peter Nnaewezie, Ebuka Johnson Olu, Okochi Ebuka Stanley, Promise Ogbodo Echezona, Ebuka Chukwu Joshua, Chisom Henry Udeagwueze, Ihechi Okechukwu Bright, Chibueze Maxwell Stephen, Ebuka Lucky Nwankwo, Isah Chinonso Peter, Ifeanyi Oguoke Kingsley, and Chinonso Eze Innocent are some of the others.
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One of the separate charges reads: “That you, Uwakwe Chikezie Raphael, sometime in 2024 in Onitsha, Anambra State, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court in Nigeria, fraudulently impersonated the identity of Everly Ruby, a female foreigner, through a Google account, via your iPhone X with intent to obtain money from unsuspecting foreign nationals and in order to gain advantage of yourself and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 22 (3) (a) (b) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention etc) Act, 2015 and punishable under Section 22 (4) of the same Act”.
According to the EFCC, all 41 defendants entered “guilty” pleas after having their charges read to them individually. Michael Ikechukwu Ani, the commission’s lawyer, requested for the court to find the defendants guilty and to sentence them appropriately in light of their pleas.
Nonetheless, the defense team, consisting of Wisdom Ogbonna, Bernard Okeke, James Nwatarali, and Arinze Anyigo, implored the court to exercise clemency and balance justice with mercy when imposing sentences on their clients, pointing out that their admission of guilt for their acts was sufficient.
On Thursday, May 2, 2024, Justice Inuwa found and sentenced 27 of the offenders; the remaining 14 were found guilty on Friday, May 3, 2024.
In accordance with Section 462 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, the Justices also mandated that the convicted individuals perform community service.
Additionally, they directed that the EFCC conduct an auction of the items seized from them, including their laptops and cell phones, with the proceeds going into the Treasury Single Account.
The Nigerian Army reported that after bandits attacked Agunu Dutse Village in Kachia Local Government Area, Kaduna State, its troops, in keeping with their promise, reacted to a distress call.
It stated that six hostages, including two women and four children, were freed by the military without incident following a search and rescue mission.
The Nigerian Army said on its Facebook page that the rescued victims were back with their relatives.
The Nigerian Army said its troops, in their commitment, responded to a distress calls following bandits’ attack in Agunu Dutse Village in Kachia Local Government Area of Kaduna State
It said during a search and rescue operation, the troops rescued six hostages unhurt, including two women and four children.
In a statement on its Facebook page, the Nigerian Army noted that the rescued victims, have been reunited with their families.
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“Troops on fighting patrol were alerted to the presence of terrorists lurking in Amale village in Kaduna North Local Government Area. The troops, in collaboration with local vigilantes, engaged the terrorists, compelling them to abandon their firearms.
“Troops recovered one AK-47 rifle, a home-made gun, and a machete.
“Similarly, troops of the Nigerian Army deployed for Counter-terrorism operations in the North East and North West on Tuesday, May 7, 2024 in a display of valour successfully foiled multiple kidnap attempts, neutralizing the terrorists’ threats and reuniting victims with their families.
“In Borno State, the troops in a rapid response to actionable intelligence had an encounter with ISWAP fighters in Kulukawiya Village, located in the Nganzai Local Government Area of Borno State.” It said.
The statement said that during the encounter, a terrorist was eliminated and a loaded AK-47 weapon was seized.
Meanwhile, forces rescued a young child who had been kidnapped by the terrorists and confirmed that the youngster had been reunited with his father, Alhaji Musa.
Police have detained Anyim Vera, a member of the Dunamis International Gospel Center (DIGC), who gained attention after being charged with lying in a testimony.
Due to a conduct violation, Vera was reportedly arrested by the Nigerian Police Force on Tuesday.
Remember how Vera’s story went viral after Dr. Paul Enenche, the church’s senior pastor, interfered with her testimony at the church headquarters.
Enenche probed for further information, perplexed as to how a purported law graduate could speak bad English.
In response, Vera revealed she completed a Bachelor of Science in law at the National Open University of Nigeria. The clergy then told Vera to go back to her seat because they believed her testimony to be false.
But after interrupting her during her testimony, he apologized to her and said he never meant to bring Vera into disgrace.
Vera asked Nigerians for financial assistance soon after the tragedy so she could move into a better place to live.
She stated that it was no longer safe or appropriate for her status to live where she did.
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