Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El Rufai has found himself at the centre of another major controversy after the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission accused him of violating the conditions of a court approved medical visit and announced the arrest of his personal physician, Professor Bello Abubakar.
According to the anti corruption agency, El Rufai was granted access to a medical consultation in compliance with a directive of the Kaduna State High Court and in line with its obligation to protect the welfare and rights of individuals in its custody. However, the commission alleged that the opportunity was abused after the former governor reportedly used the hospital visit for activities beyond the scope of the court’s approval.
The ICPC explained that El Rufai had failed to appear before the Kaduna State High Court during the scheduled hearing of his criminal case after insisting on seeing his personal doctor. The commission said its officials approved the request despite no prior medical complaint being made to its in house medical personnel, believing the consultation would be strictly for health related purposes...READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE .
The commission further alleged that while its officers remained outside the consultation room to respect El Rufai’s privacy, photographs later surfaced on social media showing him meeting with several visitors, including political associates, during the period allocated for the medical examination. The ICPC described the development as a clear violation of the court order and said it would formally bring the matter before the court.
In a further twist, the commission announced the arrest of Professor Bello Abubakar, El Rufai’s personal physician, alleging that he made false statements during the incident. The ICPC maintained that it had treated the former governor professionally throughout his detention but warned that it would not tolerate what it described as an abuse of its goodwill or disregard for judicial directives.
The development has already sparked political controversy, with the African Democratic Congress accusing the ICPC of political persecution. The party alleged that El Rufai was denied proper medical care and claimed his wife was assaulted during the hospital visit, allegations the commission has not accepted.
With the legal battle taking another dramatic turn, attention is now focused on the courts as the ICPC prepares to present the alleged breach of the medical visit conditions, while investigations into the role of the former governor’s physician continue. The case is expected to remain one of the country’s most closely watched political and legal developments in the coming days.
