A Federal Capital Territory High Court in Maitama, Abuja, on Thursday rejected a fresh bid by former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, to retrieve his passport for a medical trip to the United Kingdom, amid ongoing trial over alleged N110.4 billion fraud.
Justice Maryanne Anineh struck out the application, ruling that her court lacked the jurisdiction to grant the request since the passport in question was deposited with the Federal High Court, not the FCT High Court handling the current proceedings.
Bello, who is standing trial alongside Umar Shuaibu Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu on a 16-count charge bordering on criminal breach of trust and money laundering, had filed the application on June 20, 2025, through his lawyer, Joseph Daudu (SAN). He pleaded for temporary release of his travel documents to enable him attend a scheduled medical appointment in the UK, assuring the court of returning the passport afterwards.
However, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), represented by counsel Chukwudi Enebeli (SAN), opposed the request, arguing that it amounted to an attempt to alter existing bail conditions, which clearly mandated that the former governor’s passport remain in court custody.
Enebeli also raised concerns over procedural abuse, pointing out that a similar request was already pending before another court and that Bello’s sureties had not been notified of the travel plans.
Delivering her ruling, Justice Anineh agreed with the EFCC’s position, emphasizing that the court would not make orders that are “in vain.”
“The passport is not before this court. Even the defendant’s affidavit confirms that it is with the Federal High Court. The same passport cannot be in two courts at once,” she ruled.
The judge then struck out the application and adjourned further hearing on the case to October 8, 9, and November 13, 2025, for continuation of trial.
Bello, who governed Kogi State between 2016 and 2024, is being prosecuted by the EFCC over alleged diversion and laundering of public funds totaling over N110 billion during his tenure.
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