Alleged ₦80.2 b Fraud: EFCC opposes Yahaya Bello’s request to travel abroad for medical treatment

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has strongly opposed an application filed by embattled Yahaya Bello, former Governor of Kogi State, seeking court approval to travel overseas for medical treatment.

The anti-graft agency presented its opposition on Thursday, before  Emeka Nwite, Justice of the Federal High Court, Maitama, Abuja, where Bello is standing trial for alleged money laundering involving ₦80.2 billion.

The application, argued by Bello’s lead counsel, J.B. Daudu, sought a temporary release of the defendant’s international passport to enable him to access urgent medical care abroad.

Daudu submitted that the application was filed per Section 173(2)(a) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), and under the court’s inherent powers.

Daudu informed the court that the motion was supported by a 22-paragraph affidavit deposed to by Bello himself, alongside a medical report and a letter from a consultant cardiologist.

He stressed that the former governor, who has not travelled out of Nigeria in over eight years, now suffers from a health condition requiring specialised care unavailable locally, not even in the hospital he built while in office.

“The subject of this application is the release of his passport. The core issue is whether the defendant constitutes a flight risk, not whether treatment alternatives exist in Nigeria,” Daudu stated.

He further argued that Bello has no criminal record abroad and has assured his return by the end of August, should the court grant permission.

But the EFCC, through its counsel Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, vehemently opposed the request, describing it as “an abuse of court process.”

Pinheiro reminded the court that Bello had filed similar applications in the current court, another Federal High Court, and at the FCT High Court, all seeking the same relief, a tactic he said was improper and potentially misleading.

He outlined five key reasons the application should be dismissed. First, he said it was procedurally defective, having failed to notify or include the sureties bound by Bello’s bail terms, making their obligations unclear should the defendant abscond.

Pinheiro also underscored the gravity and international scope of the charges against Bello, noting that they involved alleged money laundering activities spanning Dubai, the United States, and the United Kingdom.

“He is already on red notice and may be arrested and extradited if he travels abroad.

He could be ‘Hushpuppied’ from Dubai,” he said, drawing a parallel with a previous high-profile extradition case.

The EFCC further questioned the credibility of the medical report presented by the defence, pointing out that the physician who signed it failed to indicate their professional qualifications.

Pinheiro downplayed the reported health concerns, such as low potassium and mild hypertension, suggesting they could be easily managed within Nigeria.

“He says he has low potassium; bananas and pawpaw will handle that. This is not a valid reason to fly to the UK,” he quipped.

The prosecution also called attention to the irony that Bello had, during his tenure as governor, inaugurated a state-of-the-art hospital in Kogi. “From Abuja to Lokoja is just two hours. I advise him to visit that hospital rather than take a six-hour flight to London,” Pinheiro added.

Responding to points of law, Daudu maintained that the sureties did not need to be joined in the application.

He also noted that the red notice issued against Bello had expired following his arraignment in Nigeria.

He urged the court to grant the request based on humanitarian and health grounds.

Earlier in the proceedings, the court continued hearing the testimony of Prosecution Witness 4, Aryan Mashelia Bata, a Compliance Officer with Zenith Bank Plc.

Under cross-examination by the defence, Bata was quizzed on the extent of his supervisory jurisdiction over certain bank accounts admitted as exhibits, some of which he admitted were outside his direct oversight.

In a separate clarification, Bata addressed a previous allegation of harassment, stating that he was not intimidated by Bello’s security team during a prior court session, but only experienced difficulty finding a seat. “I later got one and I have no issue with anyone,” he clarified.

Nwite adjourned the case to July 3 and 4, 2025, for the continuation of the trial. He also fixed July 21, 2025, to deliver a ruling on Bello’s application to travel abroad for medical care.