By Anifowose Oladipupo
Former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello on Monday suffered a legal setback as the Federal High Court in Abuja rejected his application for the release of his international passport to seek urgent medical treatment in the United Kingdom.
Justice Emeka Nwite dismissed the request after ruling that the medical report submitted to support the application was unsigned and therefore lacked legal validity.
Bello’s counsel, Joseph Daudu (SAN), presented “Exhibit B,” a report detailing a 15-year history of hypertension. However, the court sided with the prosecution, which challenged the authenticity of the document, emphasizing that unsigned evidence has no probative value.
While Justice Nwite clarified that the request was not an abuse of court process—since the passport is in the custody of the Federal High Court and not the FCT High Court—he ruled that the absence of proper documentation rendered the application inadmissible.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which is prosecuting Bello over alleged N80.2 billion fraud, had opposed the application, citing procedural abuse. Though this claim was struck out, the ruling keeps Bello grounded in Nigeria amid his ongoing trials.
The case has been adjourned to October 7, October 10, November 10, and November 11, 2025, as legal proceedings continue to unfold against the embattled former governor.
