A Federal High Court in Abuja has granted former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello permission to travel to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, for the lesser hajj during the last 10 days of Ramadan (March 13-23).
The court approved the temporary release of Bello’s international passports, with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) not opposing the request.
Justice Emeka Nwite approved the request after Bello’s counsel, Joseph Daudu, SAN, moved an application seeking the temporary release of the former governor’s international passports.
Daudu told the court that the motion, dated Jan. 19, was filed on Jan. 20. He explained that the application sought an order directing and permitting the temporary release of Bello’s international passports to enable him to travel to Saudi Arabia for the lesser hajj during the Ramadan period, which begins on Feb. 18 and ends on March 19.
The senior lawyer added that the application also requested the court’s permission for Bello to travel to the Holy Land during Ramadan.
Counsel to the anti-graft agency, Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, did not oppose the application.
Earlier, when the court asked Bello to clarify the duration of his proposed stay abroad, the former governor said he was conscious of the ongoing EFCC trial and would limit his travel accordingly.
He said that although he had not travelled outside Nigeria in the last eight years, he intended to spend only the last 10 days of Ramadan in Mecca to offer prayers.
“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 Shittu Shawal immediately after Ramadan, but I will not want to take any one for granted,” he said.
Bello then told the court that he would be spending the last 10 days of Ramadan in Mecca.
In his ruling, Justice Nwite noted that the prosecution did not oppose the request.
“I have listened to the submission of the learner counsel to defendant and also observed that the prosecution is not opposing the application.
“Hence, the defendant shall only spend 10 days in holly land which shall commence on March 13,” the judge ruled.
The court adjourned the matter to Jan 30 for continuation of trial.
