The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has rejected a request from former Kogi State governor Yahaya Bello to travel abroad for medical treatment, insisting he should use local facilities instead.
Bello, who is facing trial over an alleged ₦80.2 billion money laundering case, asked the Federal High Court in Abuja to release his passport so he could seek medical care overseas. His lawyers cited health concerns, including hypertension and hypercalcemia, as reasons for the trip.
The EFCC opposed the application, calling it an abuse of court process. The agency argued that Bello’s conditions are not life-threatening and can be managed within Nigeria. Prosecutors pointed out that Bello, during his time as governor, commissioned “ultra-modern hospitals with state-of-the-art facilities” in Kogi State, and urged him to use those hospitals for his treatment.
“The defendant insisted that the hospitals were built to curb medical tourism,” EFCC counsel Kemi Pinheiro told the court, adding that Bello should use the same facilities he promoted.
The EFCC also questioned the credibility of the medical report presented by Bello, noting it lacked details about the doctor’s qualifications. The commission warned that allowing Bello to travel could disrupt his ongoing trial, as he is currently on Interpol’s red notice.
The presiding judge, Emeka Nwite, has adjourned the matter for ruling, with further hearings scheduled for July.
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