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Abuja: American School Writes EFCC, Seeks To Refund $760k Of Yahaya Bello’s Children Fees

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The American International School of Abuja has asked the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to provide “authentic banking details” for the refund of fees paid for the children of Yahaya Bello, immediate-past governor of Kogi state.

Bello allegedly paid $720,000 in advance as fees for five of his children from the coffers of the Kogi State Government.

The children are in Grade Levels 2 to 8 at the school.

On April 17, EFCC operatives laid siege on Bello’s residence in Abuja in an attempt to arrest him over an alleged N80.2 billion fraud.

While the operatives were at the house, Usman Ododo, governor of Kogi, arrived at the property and reportedly whisked Bello away.

In a letter addressed to the Lagos Zonal Commander of the EFCC, the school said the sum of $845,852 has been paid in tuition “since the 7th of September 2021 to date.”

AISA said the sum to be refunded is $760,910 because it had deducted educational services already rendered.

“Please forward to us an official written request, with the authentic banking details of the EFCC, for the refund of the above-mentioned funds as previously indicated as part of your investigation into the alleged money laundering activities by the Bello family,” the letter reads.

It added, “Since the 7th September 2021 to date, $845,852.84 in tuition and other fees have been deposited into our bank account.

“We have calculated the net amount to be transferred and refunded to the State, after deducting the educational services rendered as $760,910.84.

“No further additional fees are expected in respect of tuition as the students’ fees have now been settled until they graduate from ASIA.”

The school said it would draw the attention of the anti-graft agency if there were any further deposits by the Bello family.

In a statement signed by Greg Hughes, AISA also said “Ali Bello contacted the school on Friday 13 August 2021 requesting to pay the family school fees in advance until the students graduate from High School”.

The Chairman of the EFCC, Ola Olukoyede, had earlier revealed that the former governor transferred $720,000 from the government’s coffers to a bureau de change before leaving office to pay in advance for his child’s school fee.

Olukoyede revealed this during an interview with journalists on Tuesday in Abuja.

He said, “A sitting governor, because he knows he is going, moved money directly from government to bureau de change, used it to pay the child’s school fee in advance, $720,000 in advance, in anticipation that he was going to leave the Government House.

“In a poor state like Kogi, and you want me to close my eyes to that under the guise of ‘I’m being used.’ Being used by who at this stage of my life?”

 

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Video: Court Strikes Out Suit Against #EndBadGovernance Protesters

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The Nigerian government has moved EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protesters from the Abuja Federal High Court premises.

This followed Justice Obiora Egwuatu’s decision to strike out the suit after an application by M. D. Abubakar, counsel to the Attorney General of the Federation, to take over and discontinue the case.

Representing the Attorney General of the Federation, Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation (DPPF) Mohammed Abubakar announced his exercise of powers under Section 174 of the 1999 Constitution to assume control of the case from the Inspector General of Police.

Upon granting this request, Justice Egwuatu also accepted the Attorney General’s invocation of the same section to discontinue the trial of the 119 accused persons.

DAILY POST reports that 76 people were arrested in Kano and Kaduna states and detained for hoisting the Russian flag during the EndBadGovernance protest.

Those arrested were charged with attempting to overthrow President Tinubu.

During last week’s court appearance, there was drama when 29 minors among those arrested fainted during arraignment, reportedly due to malnutrition.

 

 

 

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FG Terminates ₦740bn Abuja-Kaduna Road Contract With Julius Berger Over Non-Performance

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FG has terminated the ₦740bn Abuja-Kaduna road contract with Julius Berger over non-performance.

The Federal Government has terminated the ₦740bn contract for the rehabilitation of the Abuja-Kaduna dual carriageway with Julius Berger (Nig.) Plc over non-performance, JomogNews reports.

This online news platform recalls that last month, the Minister of Works, David Umahi issued a seven-day ultimatum to the company to accept FG’s offer of N740.79bn for the completion of the 82km section II of the road.

Umahi lamented that the delay in mobilising to the site despite the approved funds by the Federal Executive Council was causing untold hardship to the road users and that FG was at the receiving end of the situation.

In an updated statement by the Director, Press and Public Relations, Federal Ministry of Works, Mohammed Ahmed on Monday said the contract was terminated after the notice of termination to the company for the completion of the project elapsed on Monday.

The ministry also said it had held different discussions with the company over several months; however, the discussions failed to yield results.

While the Kaduna-Zaria section has been completed and the Zaria-Kano section is almost done, the Abuja-Kaduna section has recorded 27 per cent progress in six years.

Umahi at an event penultimate week, also accused the company of playing politics with the highway to make the current administration look bad

The Monday statement read in part, “Based on non-compliance with reviewed cost, scope and terms, stoppage of work and refusal to remobilise to site, as directed, the Federal Ministry of Works has issued a 14-day Notice of Termination to Messrs Julius Berger (Nig.) Plc for the Rehabilitation of Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano Dual Carriageway in FCT, Kaduna and Kano States, Contract No.6350, Section I (Abuja-Kaduna), today, 4th November, 2024.

“The decision, which is borne out of several months of going back and forth without any meaningful progress was reached at a Management meeting of the Ministry. The Ministry has in the last 13 months been in constant talks with the company, in order to reach an amiable position on the said alignment but to no avail.

“Nigerians may wish to know that the Contract for the Rehabilitation of the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano Dual Carriageway, which was divided into three (3) Sections was awarded to the company on 20th December, 2017 and flagged off by the then Minister of Power, Works and Housing, H:E. Babatunde Raji Fashola at an initial sum of N155.748,178,425.50billion (One Hundred and Fifty-Five Billion, Seven Hundred Forty-Eight Million, One Hundred and Seventy-Eight Thousand, Four Hundred and Twenty-Five naira Fifty Kobo) on 18th June, 2018. Sections II(Kaduna – Zaria) and III (Zaria – Kano)were partially completed and handed over during the twilight of the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR.

“Since then it has been one variation and augmentation or the other, and finally, the present Minister of Works directed for the redesigning and re-scoping of Section I of the contract.

“The alignment was divided into two with one phase redesigned to be on continuously reinforced concrete pavement (CRCP), while the remaining with asphaltic pavement. Approval for Section I, Phase 1 for a length of 38 (thirty-eight) kilometres on concrete pavement was given to Messrs Dangote Industries (Nig.) Ltd, while the remaining 127(one hundred and twenty-seven) kilometres remained with the substantive contractor.

“The Phase 1 was flagged off on 17th October, 2024 with a 14-month completion period.

“Due to the stalemate of the contract and, most importantly, the desire of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, as encapsulated in the Renewed Hope Agenda infrastructure initiative, to see to the completion of this laudable project, also to alleviate the sufferings of Nigerians plying the road, the Ministry re-scoped it and got the approval of the Federal Executive Council (FEC).

“The award for the Re-scoping and Downward Review of Contract for the Rehabilitation of Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano Dual Carriageway in FCT, Kaduna and Kano States, Contract No.6350, Section I (Abuja-Kaduna) in favour of Messrs Julius Berger (Nig.) Plc from the sum of N797,263,523,738.87 (seven hundred and ninety-seven billion, two hundred and sixty-three million, five hundred and twenty-three thousand, seven hundred and thirty-eight naira eighty-seven kobo)to N740,797,204,173.25 (seven hundred and forty billion, seven hundred and ninety-seven million, two hundred and four thousand, one hundred and seventy-three naira twenty-five kobo)was granted by FEC on 23rd September, 2024 and conveyed to the company on 3rd October, 2024.

“As due to the socio-economic importance the road as a vital artery connecting Abuja, the FCT to the North, the Ministry conveyed the approval for a Final Offer on the Abuja – Kaduna Dual Carriageway to the company on 23rd October, 2024, stating that it should agree, in writing, to accept the reviewed contract sum of N740,797,204,173.25 (seven hundred and forty billion, seven hundred and ninety-seven million, two hundred and four thousand, one hundred and seventy-three naira twenty-five kobo) within seven (7) days or risk the termination of the said contract.

“It is a sad commentary on the Company that rather than accepting the offer, they tinkered with the Bills of Quantities, as well as that of Engineering Measurements and Evaluation via a letter to the Ministry dated 29th October, 2024.

“The company was summoned for a meeting with the Management of the Ministry today, 4th November, 2024 but refused to show up, hence the termination of the contract based on effluxion of time and non-performance.”

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Just In: Ekiti Chief Judge, Adeyeye Dies At 64

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The Chief Judge of Ekiti State, Justice Oyewole Adeyeye, died at a tertiary health institution in Ekiti on Monday November 4, 2024 after a brief illness.

Although details of his death have not been made known officially, sources told our reporter that he passed on after a brief stay at the hospital.

He was sworn in as a Chief Judge on October 11 2021 by former Governor Kayode Fayemi.

The Chief Judge was born in 1960 in Araromi Ugbesi in Ekiti East Local Government of Ekiti State and called to bar in 1986.

He started his career as a State counsel in the Civil service of the old Ondo State before joining the Ekiti State Judiciary Service Commission shortly after the creation of the State in 1996.

He got elevated to the position of a judge in the Ekiti State High Court in 2002 and has served at different times in the election petition tribunals.

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