Reported by Afilawos Magana Sur, Managing Editor | Journalist at Sele Media Africa.

A prosecution witness in the ongoing trial of former Kogi State governor, Yahaya Adoza Bello, has told the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja that a total of $760,910.84 was paid as advance tuition for Bello’s children at the American International School Abuja. The testimony forms part of proceedings in the high-profile ₦110.4 billion alleged fraud and money laundering case brought against Bello and two co-defendants by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
Auditor details school fee transfers appearing before Justice Maryanne Anineh at the FCT High Court in Maitama on March 12, 2026, Nicholas Okehone, an internal auditor at the American International School Abuja and Prosecution Witness 14 (PW14), outlined the structure of payments made on behalf of members of the Bello family. Led in evidence by prosecution counsel Professor Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, the witness confirmed that Bello had four children enrolled in the school. “Yes, I know him as a parent,” Okehone told the court. “He has children in my institution. He has four children at the American International School, Abuja.”
According to the witness, the students listed under the agreement included Zahra Bello, Na’ima Bello, Nana Fatima Bello, and Farid Bello. Another beneficiary, Zayyan Ali Bello, the son of Bello’s nephew Ali Bello, was also referenced in the financial arrangements.
Advance tuition agreement until graduation the court admitted multiple documents as exhibits AX1 to AX13, despite objections from defence counsel led by Paul Daudu, SAN, who indicated that the defence would address the objections during final written submissions. One of the documents, identified as Exhibit AX4, was an agreement titled “Pre-Paid School Fees Until Graduation.” The document was reportedly signed by Grace Hudge, Head of School at the American International School Abuja, and Ali Bello, acting on behalf of the family. The agreement allowed advance tuition payments covering the students’ education until their graduation. Breakdown of International Transfers
During testimony, Okehone provided a detailed breakdown of several international payments linked to the tuition arrangement. These included:
$49,600 transferred by 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 Further payments were made through Unnati General Trading LLC via First Abu Dhabi Bank in the United Arab Emirates, each amounting to $75,000 for several of the students.
Additional transfers included $100,000 from Kampala, Uganda, reportedly sent by Manzi Issa for Zayyan Ali Bello, and $90,000 paid by Dada Grand Merchant Limited, also based in Uganda, for another beneficiary. Okehone noted that several inflows were recorded in the school’s TD Bank account, including $29,575, $44,675, $78,135, $42,145, and $74,920.71, with four payments processed on September 7. “I confirm that all the payments are in line with the agreement to pay school fees in advance,” he testified.
School later fefunded funds to EFCC the witness also revealed that the school later refunded the entire amount following engagement with Nigeria’s anti-corruption authorities. According to Okehone, the American International School Abuja wrote to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission indicating its intention to return the funds. “The EFCC provided an account, and the school refunded the total sum of $760,910.84 to an EFCC account with the Central Bank of Nigeria,” he told the court. Property Transactions Also Presented as Evidence
Earlier testimony from Yakubu Haruna, a legal practitioner and Prosecution Witness 13, introduced evidence regarding the sale of a property located at No. 35 Danube Street, Maitama, Abuja. According to Haruna, the property—comprising four detached housing units—was owned by Palchi Nigeria Limited, whose director is Honourable Faruk Mustapha. He told the court that the property was sold in January 2022 to White Tree Nigeria Limited for ₦950 million, paid in US dollars. “A man came with the dollar equivalent of ₦950 million in ‘Ghana-Must-Go’ bags,” Haruna testified. “After confirmation, my client instructed a Bureau de Change operator, Murtala Maigari, to take custody of the money. ”Additional witnesses, including Access Bank compliance officer Olomotane Egoro and lawyer James Bem Igbakymeh, also provided testimony relating to property transactions allegedly connected to the case.
Court adjourns proceedings
Following the testimonies, Justice Maryanne Anineh adjourned the trial to May 5 and May 8, as well as June 16 and June 17, 2026, for the hearing of pending applications and continuation of the proceedings. The case remains one of Nigeria’s most closely watched corruption trials, reflecting broader national debates over public accountability, governance transparency, and the enforcement of anti-corruption laws across Africa’s largest economy. As the trial continues, legal analysts say the court proceedings could provide critical insights into complex financial networks, political accountability, and the operational reach of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in pursuing high-profile corruption cases.
Sources: Reuters; BBC News; Premium Times; The Guardian; Nigeria Channels Television;
Vanguard Nigeria.

Afilawos Magana Sur

Afilawos Magana Sur is a journalist from Bogoro Local Government Area of Bauchi State, currently based in Bauchi metropolis. He is known for his commitment to accurate, ethical, and responsible journalism, with a focus on reporting issues of public relevance and community development.

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