Alleged ₦110.4bn Fraud Trial: How $760,910 Was Paid As Advance School Fees For Yaya Bello’s Children

A prosecution witness has told the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Maitama, Abuja, how $760,910.84 was allegedly used to pay advance school fees for the children of former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Adoza Bello, at the American International School Abuja (AISA).

The witness, Nicholas Okehone, an Internal Auditor at the school and the 14th prosecution witness (PW14), gave the testimony while appearing before Justice Maryanne Anineh, who is presiding over the high-profile corruption trial.

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.

Led in evidence by prosecution counsel Professor Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, Okehone told the court that the former governor had four children enrolled at AISA.

According to him, the students include Farid Bello, Zahra Bello, Na’ima Bello and Nana Fatima Bello, while Zayyan Ali Bello, the son of Ali Bello, a nephew to the former governor, was also listed as a beneficiary of the school fee arrangement.

Okehone explained that the school entered into a “Pre-Paid School Fees Until Graduation” agreement, which allowed advance payment covering the students’ tuition up to their graduation.

The agreement, he said, was signed by Grace Hudge, Head of School at AISA, and Ali Bello, who acted on behalf of the Bello family.

The witness told the court that the school received the funds through multiple international transfers from companies and individuals across different jurisdictions.

Among the payments listed in court were:

• $49,600 from Forza Oil and Gas for Zahra Omanike Bello

• $44,700 from Forza Oil and Gas for Fatima Bello

• $11,000 from Whales Oil and Gas for Farida Oricha

• $78,160 from Alyeshua Solutions Services for Fatima Bello

• $42,170 from Alyeshua Solutions Services for Na’ima Ohunene Bello

He also disclosed that Unnati General Trading LLC, through First Abu Dhabi Bank in the United Arab Emirates, transferred $75,000 each for several of the Bello children.

Further payments included $100,000 from Manzi Issa in Kampala, Uganda, for Zayyad Ali Bello, and $90,000 from Dada Grand Merchant Limited, also based in Uganda, for Zainab Ali Bello.

According to the witness, records from the school’s TD Bank account showed several inflows consistent with the transactions, including payments of $29,575, $44,675, $78,135, $42,145 and $74,920.71, with the last amount transferred four times on September 7.

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

Okehone further testified that the American International School Abuja later refunded the entire $760,910.84 after corresponding with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

“The school wrote to the EFCC indicating its intention to refund the school fees paid. The commission then provided an account with the Central Bank of Nigeria, and the total amount was refunded,” he said.

Earlier in the proceedings, Prosecution Witness 13, Yakubu Haruna, a lawyer, narrated how a property located at No. 35 Danube Street, Maitama, Abuja, was sold for ₦950 million.

He told the court that the property, consisting of four detached housing units, belonged to Palchi Nigeria Limited and was sold in January 2022 to White Tree Nigeria Limited.

According to Haruna, the payment was made in United States dollars, delivered in “Ghana-Must-Go” bags.

“A man came with the dollar equivalent of ₦950 million in Ghana-Must-Go bags. After confirmation, my client instructed a Bureau de Change operator, Murtala Maigari, to take custody of the money,” he said.

Another witness, James Bem Igbakymeh, a legal practitioner, also testified that he facilitated the ₦650 million sale of a property on Durban Street, Wuse II, Abuja, belonging to SFC Foods Limited.

He said the purchase was negotiated by Shehu Bello, while payments were made through accounts belonging to SFC Foods Limited and JIT Agric Limited using Bureau de Change operators.

In addition, Mohammed Abdulaziz, Chief Accountant of Dantata and Sawoe Construction Company Limited, told the court that the company sold a plot of land measuring 8,240.72 square metres in Gwarimpa II District, Abuja, to Azba Real Estate Limited for ₦100 million.

He said the payments were made through Keystone Bank in tranches by Murtala Maigari on behalf of Ali Bello.

The court admitted the Deed of Assignment and Irrevocable Power of Attorney relating to the transaction as Exhibits AW1 and AW2.

During the session, Justice Anineh admitted several documents presented by the prosecution as Exhibits AX1 to AX13, despite objections from defence counsel Paul Daudu, SAN, who indicated that the defence would address the issues in their final written submissions.

The admitted documents include admission letters, payment receipts, bank transfer records, correspondence between the school and the EFCC, and agreements relating to the advance payment of school fees.

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