The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has granted permission to former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, to travel to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, to observe the last 10 days of Ramadan through the lesser hajj.
Justice Emeka Nwite granted the request on Thursday after Bello’s counsel, Joseph Daudu, SAN, moved an application seeking the temporary release of the former governor’s international passports to enable the trip. The application, dated January 19, was filed on January 20.
Moving the motion, Daudu explained that the request sought an order directing the release of Bello’s travel documents to allow him travel to the Holy Land during the Ramadan period, which begins on February 18 and ends on March 19. He added that the application also requested the court’s permission for Bello to observe the lesser hajj during the holy month.
Counsel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, informed the court that the prosecution did not oppose the application.
Earlier, the court asked the former governor to clarify the duration of his proposed trip. In response, Bello told the court that although he would have preferred to spend the entire Ramadan period in Mecca, he was conscious of the ongoing trial instituted against him by the EFCC.
Bello stated that he had not travelled outside Nigeria in the last eight years and assured the court that he would limit his stay abroad to the final 10 days of Ramadan. He said the visit was strictly for religious purposes, including prayers and spiritual reflection.
“I would have loved to spend the whole of Ramadan in Mecca and observe Shittu Shawal immediately after Ramadan, but I do not want to take anyone for granted,” Bello told the court.
In his ruling, Justice Nwite noted that the prosecution raised no objection to the request. He consequently granted the application but limited the duration of the trip to 10 days, commencing from March 13.
The judge subsequently adjourned the matter until January 30 for continuation of the trial.
