Court denies Yahaya Bello’s travel request, cites unsigned medical report
The Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday refused an application by Yahaya Bello, former Kogi State governor, seeking the release of his international passport to travel abroad for medical treatment, citing the absence of a valid, signed medical report
Ruling on the matter at the resumed hearing of the money laundering case brought against Bello by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Justice Emeka Nwite said the medical document presented in support of the application was not signed by its author and therefore held no legal value.
“The defendant has failed to place sufficient material before this court for his passport to be released for him to travel. Consequently, this application is hereby refused,” the judge declared.
Bello, through his lawyer Joseph Daudu, had sought leave of the court to retrieve his passport to enable him to seek medical attention in the United Kingdom. Daudu argued that Bello had been a hypertensive patient for over 15 years and submitted Exhibits A and B as medical reports in support of the application.
However, Justice Nwite held that Exhibit B, the key medical report, lacked probative value. “The Court emphasised that an unsigned document carries no weight in law and is considered worthless,” he stated.
While the prosecution team argued that the application was an abuse of court process and technically incompetent, citing the absence of notice to sureties, the court disagreed
The counsel to the complainant did not cite any section of the law that says sureties should be given notice or made a party in the motion on notice. The counsel did not cite any law, whether locally or internationally, to back his argument,” Justice Nwite said.
He also rejected the EFCC’s claim that the application constituted an abuse of court process.
“It is not in dispute that the applicant is standing trial before this court and the FCT High Court, and it is not in dispute that the applicant was granted bail in this court on December 13, 2024, and at the FCT High Court on December 19, 2024.
The FCT High Court, in its ruling, said that the applicant must seek the leave of the court. Hence, this instant application does not amount to abuse of court process. It is also the fact that this court and the FCT High Court are courts of coordinate jurisdiction,” he ruled.
The court consequently adjourned the matter to October 7 and 10, and November 10 and 11, 2025, for continuation of trial.
