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Journalist Adeola Fayehun releases some of the alleged receipts of the $845,000 school fees paid by Yahaya Bello to American International School of Abuja for his child; releases document that shows EFCC asked the school to forward the $845,000 paid by the former Kogi Governor

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Documents serving as exhibits have shown how Yahaya Bello allegedly paid school fees in advance for his family members already in the school and even those to be enrolled in future with hundreds of thousands of dollars withdrawn from the state coffers.

A letter from the American International School of Abuja to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has shown the school admitting that Bello, the former governor of Kogi State, paid $845,852,84 into their bank account since September 2021 as advance school fees for 4 family members from the present class until they graduate.

Payment was also made for any future student to be enrolled by the family.

The document alleges that the payment was made by Mr. Ali Bello, alleged to be the eldest son of Yahaya Bello.

In the document, the school stated that they have deducted the fees for the educational service already rendered to the Bello children in the institution and what is left is $760, 910, which would be refunded to an account provided by the EFCC as the commission continues investigation into alleged money laundering levelled against Yahaya Bello.

The school also added that from the Bello family kids, “no further additional fees are expected in respect of tuition until they graduate from ASIA.”

his comes after Ola Olukoyede, chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), disclosed that Yahaya Bello, former governor of Kogi, withdrew $720,000 from the state’s coffers to pay his child’s school fee in advance.

Olukoyede spoke in Abuja during an interactive session with media executives.

 

The EFCC boss alleged that the former Kogi governor transferred money from the state coffers to a bureau de change operator, and used the money for his child’s school fee in advance. Olukoyede added that Bello made the payment in anticipation that his tenure was gradually coming to an end (read here).

 

“A sitting governor, because he knew he was leaving office, moved money directly from the government to Bureau de change and used it to pay his child’s school fee in advance,” the EFCC boss said.

 

“Over $720,000 in anticipation that he was going to leave the government house. In a poor state like Kogi, you want me to close my eyes under the guise of ‘I’m being used’. Used by who? At this stage of my life.”

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This Little Girl was K!dnapped But Found with a Woman in Aba

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This young girl named Chinenye Confidence was recently kidnapped and has been found with a woman who was arrested yesterday at No. 10 Sam Avenue, Uratta Aba.

If you have any information about the child’s parents or guardians, please report to the Uratta Police Station Aba.

Let’s help reunite Chinenye with her family!

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Alleged N12.3b Fraud: Otudeko to Know Fate on Application Challenging Jurisdiction of Court, March 17

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Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke of the Federal High Court, sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, on Thursday, February 13, 2025 adjourned till March 17, 2025 for ruling on the application filed by Oba Otudeko, Chairman of Honeywell Group, challenging the jurisdiction of the court to entertain the multiple fraud charges filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commision, EFCC.

Otudeko was to be arraigned alongside a former Managing Director of First Bank Plc, Olabisi Onasanya; a former board member of Honeywell, Soji Akintayo and a firm, Anchorage Leisure Limited on a 13-count charge, bordering on obtaining by false pretence to the tune of N12.3 billion, which the defendants seek to evade with preliminary objections, challenging the jurisdiction of the court to try them.

At today’s proceeding, prosecuting counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, informed the court that the prosecution had complied with the court’s directive to serve the defence with the charges and proof of evidence.

“The matter was adjourned till today for arraignment, but before the adjournment on January 20, the court had directed the prosecution to serve by substituted means the charges and proof of evidence on the defence and we served accordingly and we have affidavit to prove,” he said.

Otudeko’s counsel, Wole Olanipekun, SAN, however, notified the court of a fresh application, from his client, challenging the jurisdiction of the court to hear the case, served on the prosecution on January 29, 2025 and requested for a hearing date.
Counsel for the third defendant, Kehinde Ogunwumiju, SAN, similarly, informed the court that on February 10, 2025, he filed an application challenging the jurisdiction of the court which he said, has been served on the prosecution. The same application was also filed by counsel for the fourth defendant, A. Adedeji, SAN and served on the prosecution.

Confirming the development, prosecution counsel argued that hearing on the applications cannot go on due to the absence of Otudeko, the first defendant in court. “Few minutes ago, we received the first defendant’s affidavit for the record confirming that he travelled out of the country for medical reasons. I also confirm that I was served with a harvest of motions. I confirm receipt of the motion on notice from the first, third, and fourth defendants all challenging the court’s jurisdiction. They also asked the court to stay arraignment and also for outright acquittal and also that the court should not just quash the charge but dispense the appearance of defendants pending the arraignment of the defendant. For the absence of the first defendant, we may not be able to take the plea. We want an undertaking from the first defendant to know when he can come, so that we can take the arraignment,” he said.

Counsel for the third defendant, however, urged the court to proceed with the hearing of the application arguing that the absence of the first defendant is immaterial to the hearing of the application.

“The usual thing is to proceed with the application, however the prosecution said they cannot proceed because of the absence of the first defendant. The authorities support that an application can be heard even in the absence of the defendant. Jurisdiction is very rife and the law is clear, arraignment before an application will be prejudicial to the case,” he said. His submissions were adopted by counsel for the fourth defendant.

Prosecution counsel in his response, noted that the application of the first, third and fourth defendants urging the court to hear and determine the matter of jurisdiction and sundry prayers contained were untenable and urged the court to discountenance them.

“It appears to me that we are gradually in this case repeating the issue that occurred late last year. I refer the court to the Appeal Court’s decision on the case of Yahaya Bello, appeal no CA/ABJ/CR/534, the provision of 396(2) of ACJA 2015 reproduced above is very clear to the effect that any preliminary objection to the validity of the charge can only be heard after the plea has been taken. Asking the court to hear and determine a preliminary objection while the first defendant is in the UK with nothing to say than that he is on admission is injustice. It is unfair to him for us to be shaving his hair while he is in a mansion in the UK. I urge your lordship to bind yourself with the decision of Court of Appeal that I just cited,” he said.

Oyedepo further argued that: “The approach by the defence is taking is taking us back to Egypt where we have left. The application is incurably defective. It is dead on arrival. I should not dignify an illegality. The law says you can’t raise it. I urge the court to adjourn for arraignment and then after the plea of the defendant, objections can be raised. Except there is amendment to Section 396 of ACJA, I urge your lordship not to accede to the request of the defence. Don’t give judicial blessings to the implied conduct of the defendant to the effect that I stay in the house and my lawyer will deal with it. Ask him to come.

“No private citizen whether corporate or entity has the requisite power to condone criminal allegations or compound an offence. It cannot be said that there is no prima facie case. The provision of 396(2) divests my lord of the requisite power to hear an application challenging the jurisdiction of the court or charge before the plea is taken. Those prayers cannot be entertained because the law says so.”

He specifically requested that the defendant be present in court at the next sitting.

After listening to the arguments, Justice Aneke adjourned till March 17, 2025, for ruling on the applications.

Visit www.efcc.gov.ng for more stories

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Security guard jailed for stealing 30 day-old chicks

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A Magistrates’ Court in Jos has sentenced a 36-year-old security guard, Justice Terfa, to 18 months in prison for defrauding a woman of 30 day-old chicks and the money intended for their care.
Magistrate Shawomi Bokkos delivered the conviction on Wednesday after Terfa pleaded guilty to the charges.

The court provided an option for a ₦30,000 fine or six months in jail, in addition to a ₦500,000 compensation to the victim. Failure to pay the compensation would result in an additional one-year prison sentence.

Prosecutor Inspector Ibrahim Gokwat informed the court that the case was reported to the Anglo-Jos Police Station on December 21, 2024, by the complainant, Anthonia Osirho.

According to Gokwat, the complainant had entrusted Terfa with 30 day-old chicks and ₦300,000 to cover their feeding and medical needs, with plans to rear the birds for the Christmas season. However, Terfa sold 29 of the chicks and misappropriated the funds for his own use.

 

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