American School in Abuja should be charged for laundering – Sowore

Oluwasegun SanusiApril 26, 20241 Mins read123

Politician and activist, Omoyele Sowore, has called for the prosecution of the American International School in Abuja, alleging involvement in a money laundering scheme purportedly orchestrated by former Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello, and his former Chief of Staff, Ali Bello.

According to Sowore’s statement on X, the school is accused of being complicit in laundering close to $1 million under the guise of paying “future school fees” for the wards of the fugitive former governor and his associates.

Drawing parallels with the American justice system, Sowore emphasised that such cases would typically lead to prosecution rather than mere reimbursement of funds.

“This is the way the American justice system treats such cases on US soil. The @officialEFCC must also ensure the school discloses all such school fees paid by Politically Exposed Persons (PEPs),” he said

The statement further urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to conduct a thorough investigation into the matter and ensure that the school reveals all transactions involving politically exposed persons.

He expressed confidence that such an inquiry would uncover additional instances of financial impropriety, potentially leading to the conversion of the school into a public institution.

Sowore’s remarks underscore the broader issue of financial crimes perpetrated by high-ranking officials in Nigeria, particularly within the context of elite private institutions.

He asserted that stringent measures must be taken to curb the collusion between financial criminals and institutions that purportedly facilitate illicit activities, calling for accountability and transparency in the management of educational institutions.

The American International School @AISAbuja, where fugitive former Kogi state governor Yahaya Bello @OfficialGYBKogi and his former Chief of Staff, Ali Bello, laundered close to $ 1 million in the name of paying “future school fees” of their wards should be charged and prosecuted… pic.twitter.com/OGlUvc3zsn
— Omoyele Sowore (@YeleSowore) April 26, 2024

Recall it was earlier reported that the American International School of Abuja (ASIA) had stepped forward to refund N1.1 billion to the Kogi State treasury.

The school’s decision comes after confirming that Governor Bello had paid $845,000 for the tuition fees of his children, a move that has sparked controversy and raised eyebrows regarding the source of the funds.

Read: Kogi Received N413bn Under Yahaya Bello’s Administration– BudgIT