Yahaya Bello’s International Passport is with Federal High Court, Not in FCT High Court Custody – Ruling Clarifies

In a recent ruling, the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, officially declared that the international passport of Yahaya Bello, the immediate past governor of Kogi State, is not held by the FCT High Court. Instead, the court confirmed that the document is currently in the possession of the Federal High Court, Abuja.

This clarification emerged during the latest proceedings in the ongoing alleged money laundering trial initiated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) against Bello. Presiding over the case, Justice Maryann Anenih emphasized that the FCT High Court could not deliberate on the former governor’s application for the release of his passport since it is not within the court’s jurisdiction or custody.

Justice Anenih made this observation on Thursday, explaining that even if the court was inclined to grant Bello’s request, it would hold no legal weight because the passport is already with the Federal High Court, specifically under the purview of Justice Emeka Nwite.

Multiple Trials in Abuja Courts

Yahaya Bello faces parallel criminal charges in both the FCT High Court and the Federal High Court in Abuja. His application for the release of his international passport was premised on the need to travel abroad for medical reasons.

Representing Bello, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Joseph Daudu, pointed out that the requested travel document was not in the possession of the FCT High Court. He referred to prior court records which revealed that Bello had initially been instructed to submit his international passport and other travel credentials to the court’s registry.

However, Daudu further explained that upon a detailed review and inquiry by the court, it was confirmed that the passport was no longer in the FCT High Court’s custody but had instead been deposited with the Federal High Court in connection to an earlier bail condition.

He highlighted that Yahaya Bello himself had sworn an affidavit affirming that his passport had already been lodged with the Federal High Court. This fact establishes that a single document cannot physically reside with two different courts concurrently.

Court Declines to Issue Futile Orders

Justice Anenih, relying on this clear evidence, concluded that issuing an order regarding the passport from the FCT High Court would be redundant and legally ineffective.

“Courts do not issue orders in vain. Since the document in question is confirmed to be with the Federal High Court, this court declines to make any such order,” Justice Anenih stated.

Bello had also reiterated in his application that his travel documents are with the Federal High Court, further corroborating the court’s findings.

Adjourned Dates for Continued Hearing

Following the court’s ruling, Justice Anenih scheduled further hearings for October 8, 9, and November 13, 2025. It is expected that these dates will see continued deliberation on the EFCC’s case against the former governor.

Notably, the court had previously postponed its decision on Bello’s application for passport retrieval to July 17, after the initial session on July 8, 2025.

Daudu, SAN, informed the court that the application seeking the release of Bello’s passport was formally dated June 19, 2025, and officially filed on June 20, 2025. The purpose, he noted, was to enable the first defendant/applicant to seek critical medical attention abroad.

On its part, the EFCC opposed the motion via a counter-affidavit, asserting that permitting the request might cause unnecessary delays in the ongoing judicial process.