Abuja, Nigeria – A prosecution witness has told a court in Abuja that more than $760,000 was paid as advance school fees for the children of former Kogi State governor Yahaya Adoza Bello at the American International School Abuja.
Testifying before Justice Maryanne Anineh at the FCT High Court in Abuja, the witness, Nicholas Okehone, an internal auditor at the school, said a total of $760,910.84 was paid in advance for the education of Bello’s children, Okay News reports.
Bello is currently standing trial alongside Umar Shuaibu Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu over a 16-count charge bordering on alleged criminal breach of trust and money laundering amounting to ₦110.4 billion, brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
During his testimony, Okehone said Bello had four children enrolled at the school and confirmed documents relating to their admission, advance payment agreement and bank transfers used to settle the fees. He added that the payments were made through several international transfers from companies and individuals across different countries.
The witness also told the court that the school later refunded the entire sum of $760,910.84 to the anti-graft agency after communicating with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, which provided an account with the Central Bank of Nigeria for the refund.
Other witnesses also testified about property transactions allegedly linked to the case, including the sale of houses in Maitama and Wuse II in Abuja and a plot of land in Gwarimpa. Following the proceedings, Justice Anineh adjourned the case to May 5 and 8, and June 16 and 17, 2026, for continuation of the trial.
