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nigeria anti-corruption police the
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economic and financial crimes commission
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EFCC has told the federal high court
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sitting in Abuja that the immediate past
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governor of Kogi state yayabelloo is on
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international red alert or on the watch
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lists of security operatives abroad and
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if left to travel abroad for medical
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treatment he could be arrested like the
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way and manner and Nigerian social media
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influencer and United States US
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convicted fraudster Raone Abber aka Hush
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Puppy was arrested adding "The charges
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against the ex-governor are connected to
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buildings he allegedly owned in Dubai
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and bank transactions in the US and
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United Kingdom UK praying the court to
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order Yahaya to undergo the medical
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treatment in the ultramodern hospital
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the exgovernor had boasted he built in
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Kogi State details of the report are
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presented verbatim below as made
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available by the public relations unit
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of the Economic and Financial Crimes
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Commission EFCC on Thursday the Economic
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and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC on
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Thursday June 27th 2025 opposed an
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application filed by former Kogi State
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Governor Yaya Adoabello seeking leave of
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court to travel abroad for medical
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treatment the application was presented
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before Justice Amecha N white of the
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Federal High Court Maitama Abuja during
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the resumed hearing of Bellow's alleged
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80.2 billion naira money laundering
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trial his council J B Du San urged the
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court to consider the defendant's health
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condition as paramount and to grant him
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permission to travel dau informed the
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court that the application was brought
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pursuant to section 173 2 uh of the
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administration of criminal justice act
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ACJA and under the court's inherent
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jurisdiction he said the application was
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backed by a 22 paragraph affidavit
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deposed to by the defendant himself
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including annexures such as a medical
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report and a letter from a consultant
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he further argued that Bellow had not
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traveled outside Nigeria in over 8 years
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and now required urgent medical
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attention which according to him cannot
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be provided even in the hospital he
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built the subject of this application is
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the release of his passport which was
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surrendered as part of his bail
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conditions what should be considered is
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not whether there are alternatives in
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Nigeria but whether the defendant poses
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a flight risk he said he also claimed
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that the defendant has no criminal
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record abroad and may not pose a flight
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risk he has no criminal record in those
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countries the defendant is not a flight
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risk and will return before the end of
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August my lord can even specify a return
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date he said however prosecuting council
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Kem Pinhiro San strongly objected to the
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application describing it as an abuse of
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court process he argued that Bellow had
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previously filed similar applications
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before another court the current court
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and the FCT High Court seeking the same
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relief which he said was improper and
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confusing pinhairo advanced five main
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reasons the application should be denied
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first he said the motion was technically
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incompetent as the shies to Bellow's
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bail were not informed or included in
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the application thereby raising
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questions about their liability if the
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defendant fails to return he also
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emphasized that the case involved money
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laundering and money laundering is
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international in nature referencing
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charges related to properties in Dubai
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and funds in bank accounts in the US and
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UK the defendant is already under a red
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notice and international alert he risks
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being arrested abroad and extradited he
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could be hush puppies from Dubai
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Pinhairo warned alluding to a known
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cyber crime case the prosecution further
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discredited the medical report submitted
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by the defense noting that the doctor
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who signed it failed to indicate his
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qualifications or specialization he
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argued that the health concerns
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mentioned such as low potassium and mild
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hypertension could be managed locally he
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says he has low potassium bananas and
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pawpo will handle that this is not
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sufficient reason to fly to the UK he
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said he also pointed out the irony that
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Bellow had boasted during his tenure of
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building an ultramodern hospital in Kogi
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state from Abuja to Loja is 2 hours i
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advise him to visit that hospital rather
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than take a 6-hour flight abroad he said
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in his reply on points of law Dau
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insisted that the shities were not
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required to be parties to the motion and
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argued that the red notice previously
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issued by EFCC had lapsed following
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Bellow's arraignment in Nigeria he urged
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the court to exercise its discretion in
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favor of the defendant meanwhile earlier
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in the proceedings cross-examination of
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prosecution witness 4 PW4 Aryan
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Mashelabarta a compliance officer with
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Zenith Bank plc continued the defense
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questioned his jurisdiction over several
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of the bank accounts admitted as
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exhibits many of which were outside the
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branches under his direct supervision
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clarifying an earlier issue raised by
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the prosecution PW4 told the court that
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he wished to place it on record that he
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was not harassed by Yahaya Bellow's
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security team but rather experienced
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difficulty in finding a seat while in
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court i want it on record that the
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incident happened while I was trying to
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get a seat i later got one and I have no
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issue with anyone he said following all
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submissions Justice Amecha N white
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adjourned the matter to July 3rd and 4
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2025 for continuation of trial and fix
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July 21st 2025 for ruling on the
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defendant's application to travel abroad
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