Kogi: I didn’t pay $720,000 as school fees – Yahaya Bello

Former Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello, has denied paying the sum of $720,000 school fees for his children using the state government’s funds.

Bello was reacting to the claim by the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ola Olukoyede that he withdrew $720,000 from the state’s coffer to pay for his children’s school fees before leaving office.

The governor described the remark as misleading, stressing that the receipts in public domain were released by his lawyers.

In a statement signed by his Media Officer, Ohiare Michael, the former governor said his children have been attending the American International School, Abuja, before he became governor and he has been paying their fees as at when due.

The statement titled “Payment for school fees: Setting the records straight”, partly reads, “While we reserve our rights to seek redress against the said defamatory statements, permit us to briefly state the following for the purpose of setting the records straight: “His Excellency, Yahaya Bello’s children have attended the American International School, Abuja well before he became Governor and he has paid fees for his children as and when due and without fail.

“His Excellency, Alhaji Yahaya Bello did not pay the sum of USD720,000 as alleged by the EFCC Chairman or USD840,000 as is being bandied about on the internet.

“The payment of the fees was not effected at about the time his Excellency was to leave office as claimed by Mr. Olukoyede but same commenced in 2021.

“Alhaji Yahaya Bello did not pay the fees of his children with monies from the coffers of the Kogi State Government.”

The statement insisted that the EFCC didn’t recover any money belonging to the former governor or his family members.