Court Slams Brakes On Yahaya Bello’s Medical Trip Abroad

Presiding over the case, Justice Emeka Nwite ruled against Bello’s request, stating that the defendant failed to provide adequate justification for the release of his international passport.

Bello, currently standing trial alongside his nephew, Ali Bello, Dauda Suleiman, and Abdulsalam Hudu, faces 19-count charges of money laundering amounting to ₦80.2 billion, filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

In his application, the former governor asked the court to allow him to travel to the UK for treatment, citing health concerns. However, the court found significant shortcomings in his evidence.

Justice Nwite noted that the medical report submitted was signed by someone other than the examining doctor, and it lacked details about the consultant’s identity and qualifications. The court also found the letter of appointment from the UK hospital to be unsigned and therefore inadmissible.

The judge emphasized that Bello did not prove that his condition—hypertension—was beyond the capacity of Nigerian medical facilities. He ruled that a compelling justification, such as a verified diagnosis showing urgent need for treatment abroad, must be presented before such requests can be granted.

Furthermore, EFCC counsel Kemi Pinheiro (SAN) opposed the application, describing it as a repeated and improper move. Pinheiro reminded the court that Bello had previously praised his administration’s development of a state-of-the-art hospital in Kogi State.

“Instead of seeking treatment abroad, he should make use of the hospital he claimed to have built,” Pinheiro argued.

In conclusion, Justice Nwite declared that the former governor had not met the legal threshold required for the court to grant his request.

“This court finds that the defendant has not presented sufficient evidence to justify releasing his passport for a medical trip abroad. Therefore, the application is denied,” the judge ruled.