The Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday granted permission to Ali Bello, the accused nephew of former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello, to travel abroad for medical reasons.
Mr Bello, who is the Chief of Staff to the incumbent Kogi State Governor Usman Ododo, has been facing prosecution before the court since 2022 on N3 billion fraud charges. The charges stemmed from his activities during the former Governor Bello’s administration.
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Judge Obiora Egwuatu granted foreign trip permission to both Ali Bello, the first defendant, and Yakubu Adabenege, the third defendant, on Wednesday. But while Mr Bello was granted permission to travel to the United Kingdom for medical reasons, Mr Adabenege got the court’s approval to travel for religious purposes. Mr Adabenege had sought the court’s permission to travel for Hajj in Saudi Arabia between 28 July and 27 August.
The court issued the foreign trip approvals after the applicants’ lawyers moved their respective clients’ motions on Wednesday.
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Mr Bello’s application, filed on 12 May, was argued by his lawyer, Z. Abbas. That of Mr Adabenege, filed on 23 May, was also argued by his lawyer, Nureini Jimoh, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).
EFCC did not oppose the applications.
The judge, Mr Egwuatu, granted both requests, ordering the release of their passports seized as part of the conditions of the bail earlier granted to the applicants.
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He also gave deadlines for them to return their passports to the court registrar on returning from their respective foreign trips.
While he asked Mr Bello to return his on or before 12 September, he ordered Mr Adabenege to do the same by 30 August.
Judge Egwuatu then adjourned proceedings until 13 and 14 October for continuation of trial.
Background
Ali Bello is standing trial on money laundering charges involving the alleged diversion of about N3 billion belonging to Kogi State and its local governments.
He faces 18 counts of money laundering alongside his alleged conspirators – Abba Adaudu, Yakubu Siyaka Adabenege, Iyada Sadat, and Rashida Bello.
The EFCC alleged in the charges that Mr Bello and his co-defendants conspired in June 2020 in Abuja to cause E-Traders International Limited to retain N3.081 billion, said to be proceeds of criminal activity, in violation of Sections 18(a) and 15(2)(d) of the Act.
The seventh prosecution witness (PW7), Achille Ofure, an official of Access Bank’s Lokoja branch, testified on 20 May, detailing a web of “suspicious” cash deposits and withdrawals of funds the prosecution said belonged to the state government.
She detailed how hundreds of millions of naira were allegedly funnelled from various Kogi State local government accounts into corporate and personal bank accounts held by defendants and their associates.
Ms Achille testified that the bank identified numerous “suspicious” lodgements and immediate withdrawals that didn’t align with the account holders’ profiles. She said the bank, therefore, flagged and reported to the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU).
She further detailed how accounts linked to Fazab Business Enterprise, Hyzman Ary Construction, and Killest Nature Ltd. received substantial inflows from LGAs, often followed by rapid withdrawals.
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During the cross-examination of the witness on 17 June, defence lawyer A.M. Aliyu maintained that his client’s name did not feature in any of the transactions. But in response, EFCC lawyer, Rotimi Oyedepo, said the remark from the defence lawyer showed his understanding of the case was limited.
The trial is one in a series of financial crime cases arising from former Governor Bello’s administration.
Bello Ali faces another prosecution before another judge of the Federal High Court in Abuja on charges of diverting N10 billion in Kogi State’s funds.
Former Governor Bello, his uncle, is standing trial on N80 billion money laundering charges before another judge of the FHC court, and in another case for N110 billion fraud before the FCT High Court in Abuja.
On 27 June 2025, EFCC opposed former Kogi governor Yahaya Bello’s request to travel abroad for medical treatment in his ongoing N80.2 billion fraud trial. His lawyer, Joseph Daudu, SAN, asked the court to release his passport, citing health concerns.
But EFCC counsel, Kemi Pinheiro, a SAN, described the application as an abuse of court process. He argued that local hospitals, including one Yahaya Bello built in Kogi, could treat his condition. The court fixed 27 July for ruling on the application.
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