Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Abuja, has refused to release the international passport of former Kogi Governor Yahaya Bello, who sought permission to travel abroad for medical care.
Bello’s counsel, Joseph Daudu, SAN, told the court that the ex-governor had battled hypertension for 15 years and tendered a medical report.
However, Justice Nwite ruled that the document lacked probative value as it was unsigned, rendering it legally worthless.
While rejecting the prosecution’s claim that the application was an abuse of court process, the judge said Bello had not presented convincing evidence to justify his travel request.
On the prosecution’s argument that sureties were not informed, the judge maintained that the case was between Bello and the Federal Republic of Nigeria, not his sureties.
Justice Nwite emphasized the court would not act on mere claims without valid evidence. “The court cannot rely on an unsigned report. There is no sufficient material before it to grant the request,” he ruled.
The trial resumes on October 7 and continues through November 2025.
