From Victor Osula, Abuja
The Federal Capital Territory High Court sitting in Maitama, Abuja, has struck out an application filed by the former Kogi Governor, Yahaya Bello, seeking the temporary release of his international passport to enable him to travel abroad for medical treatment.
Ruling on the application on Thursday, Justice Maryann Anenih held that the court was not in possession of Bello’s passport.
Bello, alongside two others, is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over the alleged misappropriation of public funds amounting to N110.4 billion during his tenure as governor of Kogi State.
In the motion dated June 19 and filed on June 20, Bello, through his legal team led by Joseph Daudu (SAN), prayed the court for an order for the release of his international passport.
In a 22-paragraph supportive affidavit filed alongside a medical report and an appointment letter from his physician abroad, Bello’s counsel, Daudu argued that the request was made on 13 legal grounds, noting that the court had, in a previous ruling in December 2024, stated that if the defendant needed to travel, he could approach the court via a formal application. He stressed that the ruling neither expressly barred foreign travel nor stipulated specific conditions for such a trip.
While the EFCC opposed the defence’s application, the commission, through its legal team led by Kemi Pinheiro (SAN), described the defence application as an abuse of court process
“The passport sought to be released is not before this court”, the anti-graft agency argued, while questioning the authenticity and credibility of the medical documents presented. It claimed that the medical report was signed by a different doctor than the one who issued the appointment, and that the report did not include the qualifications of the signing physician. He dismissed it as “a worthless paper”.
The commission prayed the court to allow Bello to seek treatment in Kogi State, where he reportedly commissioned an ultra-modern Reference Hospital designed to reduce medical tourism.
Citing the international dimension of the case, including money laundering charges, the prosecution warned that allowing Bello to leave the country could jeopardise the trial.
Ruling on Thursday, Justice Anenih emphasised that the court was not in possession of Bello’s passport. The judge said even if the request to retrieve the travel passport were to be granted, it would be of no effect since the passport was not in the custody of the court but before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court.
Consequently, the application was struck out as Justice Anenih adjourned the fraud trial case against the former Governor to October 8, 9 and November 13, 2025, for continuation of the hearing.
