Former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello has received judicial approval to embark on a religious journey abroad, granting him temporary relief from travel restrictions imposed amid his ongoing criminal proceedings for alleged financial misconduct.
The Federal High Court in Abuja granted the ex-governor’s application, ordering the temporary release of his international passport held by the court registry to facilitate the spiritual exercise.
Justice Emeka Nwite delivered the ruling on Thursday after hearing arguments from Bello’s lead counsel, Joseph Daudu (SAN), who moved the motion seeking permission for his client to perform the lesser Hajj and observe the final 10 days of Ramadan in the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia.
The motion, dated January 19 and filed on January 20, sought the temporary release of Bello’s international passport to enable his travel during this year’s Ramadan, scheduled to run from February 18 to March 19.
Daudu told the court that the application also requested approval for Bello to undertake religious observances in the Holy Land during the Ramadan period.
Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, representing the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), did not oppose the motion.
Earlier in court, Bello clarified that while he would have preferred to spend the full 30 days of Ramadan in Mecca, he would limit his trip to 10 days in consideration of his ongoing trial.
“As said by my defence counsel, I have not travelled outside this country in the last eight years. I would have loved to spend the whole of Ramadan in Mecca and to observe Eid al-Fitr immediately after Ramadan, but I do not want to take anyone for granted,” Bello said.
Justice Nwite, in granting the application, noted that the prosecution did not oppose the request.
“I have listened to the submission of the learned counsel to the defendant and observed that the prosecution is not opposing the application,” the judge said.
The court subsequently adjourned the matter until January 30 for the continuation of the trial.
