Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja has denied former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello’s request to release his international passport for medical travel abroad. The court ruled that the medical report submitted was unsigned, rendering it legally ineffective.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) argued that the application constituted an abuse of court process. Bello’s lawyer, Joseph Daudu, SAN, presented evidence in support of his client’s health status, claiming sufficient grounds existed for the court to grant the request.
However, the prosecution maintained that the application was technically flawed, emphasizing that proper procedures regarding sureties had not been followed. Justice Nwite clarified that the case was strictly between Yahaya Bello and the Federal Republic of Nigeria, without involving the sureties.
The court noted that Exhibit B, the unsigned medical report, lacked probative value and could not be relied upon for the request. Consequently, the judge concluded that Bello had failed to provide adequate material for the release of his passport, leading to the application being denied.
The case has been adjourned to October 7 and 10, as well as November 10 and 11, 2025, for the continuation of the trial.
