FCT High Court Declines Yahaya Bello’s Request for Passport Release, Says Document Not in Its Custody

The High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has declined an application by former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, seeking the release of his international passport to enable him travel abroad for medical treatment.

In a ruling delivered on Thursday, Justice Maryann Anenih held that the court could not act on the request since the travel document in question is not in its custody but with the Federal High Court in Abuja.

The development came during the resumed hearing of the money laundering charges filed against Bello by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Justice Anenih stated that even if the application were to be granted, it would serve no practical purpose as the passport was not in the possession of the FCT High Court. She emphasized that courts do not make orders in vain.

“A review of the court’s record revealed that the applicant had previously been ordered to deposit his international passport and other travel documents with the registry of this court. However, upon further enquiry and search, it was discovered that the said passport is currently with the Federal High Court,” she said.

The former governor, through his counsel Joseph Daudu, SAN, acknowledged in a sworn affidavit that the passport was deposited with the Federal High Court in compliance with an earlier bail condition.

“The simple logic is that the passport cannot be with two courts at the same time,” Justice Anenih noted, adding that there was no justification for the FCT High Court to make any order on a document outside its custody.

The EFCC had opposed Bello’s request, arguing in a counter-affidavit that granting the release of the passport could hinder the ongoing trial and delay proceedings.

Following the ruling, the matter was adjourned to October 8, 9, and November 13, 2025, for continuation of hearing.

The court had earlier reserved its ruling on the motion during a sitting on July 8, 2025. The application, filed by Bello’s legal team on June 20, sought to retrieve his passport specifically for medical travel.