Court to rule on Yahaya Bello’s overseas medical travel application July 17

A federal capital territory (FCT) high court in Maitama has fixed July 17 for ruling on a travel application filed by Yahaya Bello, former Kogi state governor.

At the resumed hearing on Tuesday, Joseph Daudu, counsel to Bello, informed the court about the application filed on June 20 seeking permission for his client to travel abroad for medical attention.

“It seeks an order for the release of the 1st defendant/applicant’s international passport by the registrar to enable him to travel for medical attention,” he said.

However, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had filed a counter-affidavit in opposition to the application.

The EFCC argued that granting the request could delay further proceedings. The agency also described the application as an “abuse of court process” noting that a similar application was filed at the federal high court. 

Responding, Daudu argued that the fresh application is not an abuse of court process since the case before the federal high court is a completely different charge.

“It will be a futile exercise to apply in one court and not to apply in the other court,” Daudu said. 

Defending the EFCC’s counter-affidavit, Chukwudi Enebele, the prosecution counsel, said the defendant should have put his sureties on notice with regard to his application to travel out of the country.

According to him, the individuals need to decide whether they would want to continue to stand as sureties for him when he travels.

He added that by filing the same application before two different courts, the defendant was setting the courts on a collision course. 

“If the federal high court refuses that application and my lord grants it, it will make a mockery of our judicial system,” the EFCC lawyer argued.

Responding, Daudu said, on the issue of suretyship, the sureties were already aware. 

“We need not put them on notice. Finally, on the interpol matter, it is a dead argument,” Dauda said.

“He has never flouted your lordship’s order. They have even forgotten about those red alerts.”

After listening to both parties, Maryann Anenih, the presiding judge, adjourned the case to July 17, 2025, for ruling.

BACKGROUND

Bello is charged with alleged criminal breach of trust to the tune of N110,446,470,089, 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 standing trial on a 16-count charge alongside two officials of the Kogi state government — Abdulsalami Hudu and Umar Oricha.

The defendants were alleged to have used funds from the Kogi state treasury to acquire properties in high-brow areas within the federal capital territory (FCT) and in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, according to the charge sheet seen by TheCable.