The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Abuja has clarified that it does not have custody of the international passport of former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, amid an ongoing money laundering case involving the ex-governor.

Justice Maryanne Anenih, presiding over the matter, made the clarification during Thursday’s proceedings in the N110 billion fraud case filed against Bello by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The court was expected to rule on an application by Bello seeking the release of his international passport to enable him to travel for medical treatment. However, Justice Anenih declared the application incompetent, stressing that the travel document was not in the custody of the FCT High Court, but rather with the Federal High Court in Abuja.

“The international passport cannot be in two places at the same time,” she said, dismissing the notion that the document could be retrieved from the FCT court.

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The judge noted that the bail conditions issued to Bello required him to submit his international passport or swear an affidavit if the passport was in the possession of another court. Bello had deposed an affidavit stating that the travel document was currently with the Deputy Registrar of the Federal High Court, where he faces a separate criminal charge.

The court also pointed out that although earlier court records seemed to show the passport was to be deposited with the registry of the FCT High Court, a review confirmed that it was never submitted to the court.

Justice Anenih emphasized that, had the passport been in the FCT court’s custody, the application might have been granted after due consideration.

Background: Yahaya Bello, along with Umar Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu, was arraigned on November 27, 2024, on a 16-count charge bordering on alleged misappropriation of public funds and property fraud totalling ₦110 billion.

The defence counsel, Joseph Daudu, SAN, had urged the court to grant Bello’s request based on medical grounds, arguing that his client needed to travel for urgent health care. Daudu supported the application with a 22-paragraph affidavit deposed by the former governor.

However, the EFCC filed a counter-affidavit, urging the court to reject the application on the grounds that Bello is facing serious criminal charges and might jump bail if allowed to travel.

Following Thursday’s proceedings, Justice Anenih adjourned the trial to October 8, 2025, for continuation.