Posted by By Adi Femi/Kaduna on
The Federal High Court in Kaduna this morning refused to grant Mr. James Ibori's application for the release of both his international and diplomatic passports to enable him travel oversees to seek medical attention.
The Federal High Court in Kaduna this morning refused to grant Mr. James Ibori's application for the release of both his international and diplomatic passports to enable him travel oversees to seek medical attention.
The former Delta State governor had on 16 May, 2008 in a 12-paragraph application pursuant to order 54, Rule 8 of the Federal High Court procedures rule, 2002, urged the court to release both his international and diplomatic passports to enable him travel to UK to see his personal doctor and family.
Ibori claimed that he suffered a long history of severe high blood pressure with an excuse that there was no medical facility here in Nigeria for management and treatment of his health conditions.
The presiding judge, Justice Lawan Mohammed, in his ruling today, dismissed the application on the grounds that Ibori did not provide enough evidence to prove that he had an history of ill health.
He also averred that Ibori could not furnish the court with convincing evidence to show why he had to travel oversees to see his family members if same family are Nigerians.
He therefore stated that: 'It was apparent that the application lacks merit," and dismissed it, accordingly.
He adjourned the case till 7 October, pending when the appeal court in Kaduna will hear the two appeals against the Federal High Court ruling on transfer of his case and stay of further proceedings