Yahaya Bello Faces Trial For Misappropriation of Public Funds
Tracy Ohovwore, Benin City
The Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) in a statement on the ongoing case against former governor of Kogi State Yahaya Bello regarding the embezzlement of school fee payments and funds from international firms that were diverted to his children’s account.
Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Maitama, Abuja, on Friday, March 7, 2025, reviewed further testimony from prosecution witness Nicholas Ojehomon, an internal auditor at the American International School, Abuja, AISA.
Ojehomon testified that all transactions made for payments of school fees at AISA, including those from international companies were diverted to the exclusive benefit of Bello’s children.
The prosecution counsel, Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, received a detailed documents of payments from Ojehomon referencing several exhibits of payments made in favor of Bello’s children, Zara Omoneke Bello, Fatima Bello, Na’ima Ohunene Bello and Farid Bello.
Pinheiro directed the witness, Ojehomon, to exhibit 13p1 and identify the document which revealed that a bank teller was sent in by Forza Oil and Gas to AISA via email from Ali Bello
The report disclosed detailed transactions which revealed similar patterns. According to the press release, it includes; Exhibit 13p2: $44,700 was sent by Forza Oil and Gas to AISA for Fatima Bello, exhibit 13p3: $49,600 from Forza Oil and Gas to AISA for Zara Bello, exhibit 13p4: $44,700 from Forza Oil and Gas to AISA for Fatima Bello Oziohu, exhibit 13p5: $11,000 from Whales Oil and Gas to AISA with “Farid Oricha” listed under the contract number, exhibit 13p6: $78,160 from Alyeshua Provision Services to AISA, benefiting Fatima Ohizio Bello, exhibit 13p7: $42,170 from Alyeshua Provision Services to AISA for Na’ima Ohunene Bello.
Others are; exhibit 13p8: $44,700 from Forza Oil and Gas to AISA for Na’ima Ohunene Bello, exhibit 13p9: $75,000 from Unnaki General Trading Limited to AISA for Na’ima, exhibit 13p10: $75,000 from Unnaki General Trading Limited to AISA, with “Farid Edu Support” listed under the beneficiary.
Exhibit 13p11: $75,000 from Unnaki General Trading plc to AISA for Fatima, with “Invoice Reference: Fatima Edu Support, exhibit 13p12: $75,000 from Unnaki General Trading Limited to AISA, with “Invoice Reference: Zara Edu Support, exhibit 13p13: A $100,000 transfer from Manzi Issa, a Ugandan national. Exhibit 13p14: A $90,000 transfer from Dada Grant Merchant Limited, also based in Uganda.
The prosecution also presented exhibit 14p15-63, a series of receipts issued by AISA. When asked to confirm the names on the receipts, Ojehomon stated, “The receipts were all issued in the names of the four children of Yahaya Bello.”
He then went on to name them in exhibit 14p-16 as: Bello Nana, Fatima Zara Bello, Farid Bello, and Na’ima Bello which he identified Yahaya Bello as the parent of the named individuals from AISA’s records.
