Justice Maryanne Anineh of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Maitama, Abuja, on Thursday, July 17, 2025, dismissed an application by former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Adoza Bello seeking the release of his passport to travel to the United Kingdom for medical treatment.
Bello is standing trial alongside Umar Shuaibu Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu on a 16-count charge bordering on criminal breach of trust and money laundering amounting to N110.4 billion, filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The defendant, through his counsel, J.B. Daudu, SAN, had applied for a temporary release of his passport, citing a scheduled medical appointment abroad. The prosecution, led by Chukwudi Enebeli, SAN, opposed the motion, arguing that it would alter the bail conditions, which required Bello to deposit his travel documents with the court.
Enebeli further noted that the defence failed to notify the sureties of the intended travel and had also filed a similar application in another court, thereby constituting an abuse of court process. He warned that allowing multiple courts to rule on the same request could lead to conflicting orders.
In her ruling, Justice Anineh stated that the application was incompetent, as her court could not release a passport that was not in its custody. She noted that the defendant had previously confirmed, via affidavit, that the passport had been deposited with the Federal High Court.
“The passport cannot be in two courts at once,” she ruled. “This court will not issue an order in vain.”
The case was adjourned to October 8, 9, and November 13, 2025, for continuation of trial.
