Court declines Yahaya Bello’s travel bid, says passport not in its custody

A high court of the federal capital territory (FCT) sitting in Maitama has declined to grant a request by Yahaya Bello, former governor of Kogi state, to travel abroad for medical attention.

At the resumed hearing on Thursday, Maryann Anenih, the presiding judge, ruled that the court could not consider the application seeking release of the travel document since the passport is not before it.

Bello, through his counsel Joseph Daudu, a senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN), had filed an application dated June 20, seeking permission to travel outside the country for medical treatment. The request was argued at the last sitting on July 8.

However, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which is prosecuting Bello on allegations of corruption, filed a counter-affidavit opposing the application.

The anti-graft agency argued that granting the request could stall ongoing trial proceedings and described the motion as an “abuse of court process”.

The EFCC noted that a similar application had already been filed before the federal high court in Abuja.

In response, Daudu argued that the fresh application before the FCT high court was not an abuse of process, insisting that the charges in both courts are separate and distinct.

Delivering her ruling, Anenih held that the court could not act on the request to release a document that was not in its custody.

She said even if the request to retrieve the international passport were to be granted, it would be of no effect since the passport was not in its custody but with the federal high court.

Following the ruling, the judge adjourned proceedings in the matter to October 8 and 9, and November 13, 2025, for continuation of hearing.

Bello is standing trial on a 16-count charge of alleged criminal breach of trust amounting to N110,446,470,089.

The offences are said to be contrary to sections 96 and 311 of the Penal Code Law, Cap. 89, Laws of Northern Nigeria, 1963, and punishable under section 312 of the same law.

He is being tried alongside two former government officials — Abdulsalami Hudu and Umar Oricha — who served under his administration in Kogi state.

According to the charge sheet, the defendants allegedly used funds from the state treasury to acquire choice properties in the FCT and in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Bello also faces a separate 19-count charge of alleged money laundering involving N80.2 billion before the federal high court in Abuja.

He has filed a similar application in that case, seeking leave to travel to the United Kingdom for medical treatment.

The former governor has repeatedly denied all allegations, describing the charges as “politically motivated”.