The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court has clarified that the international passport of Yahaya Bello, former Kogi State governor, , is not in its custody, but rather with the Federal High Court in Abuja.
At the resumed hearing of the money laundering charges filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) against Bello, Justice Maryann Anenih ruled on Thursday that the FCT High Court could not act on the application for the release of the travel document because it was not in its possession.
“The court would have considered the application for the release of the defendant’s travel document if it were to be in its custody,” Justice Anenih stated.
“Even if the request to retrieve the international passport were to be granted, it would be of no effect since the passport was not in the custody of this court but with the Federal High Court, before Justice Emeka Nwite.”
The former governor, who is facing separate but similar charges at both the FCT and Federal High Courts, had filed an application requesting the release of his passport to enable him to travel abroad for medical treatment.
His counsel, Joseph Daudu, acknowledged that the passport was not held by the FCT High Court. “The international passport being requested is not in the custody of the Court,” he told the judge.
A review of court records revealed that while the applicant had earlier been ordered to deposit his travel documents with the FCT High Court registry, a subsequent search confirmed that the documents were no longer there. Instead, they were found to be with the Federal High Court.
The defendant also confirmed in his application that his travel documents were currently with the Federal High Court.
Justice Anenih, after the ruling, adjourned the matter to October 8 and 9, and November 13, 2025, for continuation of hearing.
The application, dated June 19 and filed on June 20, had sought “an order for the release of the 1st defendant/applicant’s international passport by the registrar to enable him to travel for medical attention,” according to Daudu.
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The motion was supported by a 22-paragraph affidavit deposed to by Bello himself, along with 13 grounds outlined in the face of the motion.
However, the EFCC opposed the request, filing a counter-affidavit in which it argued that releasing the passport could cause delays in the ongoing proceedings.
