Yahaya Bello, the former governor of Kogi State, has refuted claims that he used state government funds to pay his children’s school fees totaling $720,000.
Yahaya Bello dismissed the assertions made by EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede, stating that the receipts circulating were provided by his lawyers.
According to Bello, his children had been attending the American International School in Abuja prior to his tenure as governor, and he has been personally covering their school fees.
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.
