By Ayodele Oni
Request by a former governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, to travel to Saudi Arabia to pray against the Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has been granted by the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja.
The Court said that the former Governor should go to Saudi Arabia to perform the 2026 lesser Hajj in the holy Land.
Justice Emeka Nwite while granting the permission on Thursday, ordered that the travelling passport of the former governor, which has been in the custody of the court be released to him temporarily.
The former Governor is currently standing trial before the court in alleged misappropriation of funds brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
His application for permission to travel to Saudi for supplication filed on January 20, supported by a 24-paragraph affidavit deposed to by Yahaya Bello himself was moved by his lead counsel Mr Joseph Daudu, SAN.
The Counsel informed the court that the request was to enable the defendant travel to the Holy Land in Saudi Arabia to observe the lesser Hajj during the month of Ramadan
Daudu informed the court that Yahaya Bello had not gone to the holy land for over eight years and said that there is the need for him to go now to pray to God to deliver him from the charges preferred against him by the EFCC.
Responding to the application, the lead prosecution counsel, Kemi Pinheiro, SAN told the court that, the prosecution will not oppose the request for the defendant to travel to the holy land for the lesser Hajj, but will not concede any of the dates set aside for his trial by the courts.
In a short ruling on the application, Justice Emeka Nwite granted the request for the release of Yahaya Bello’s international passport deposited with the Registrar of the court to enable him travel to the holy land for the Ramadan lesser Hajj.
According to the judge, “I have listened to the submissions of counsel in this matter and am minded to grant the application.
“Consequently, the court granted the request, approving the release of the passport from March 13, 2026 for a period of 10 days and thereafter adjourned till Friday, January 30 for the continuation of the examination of the seventh prosecution witness (PW7).
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