…ICPC says El-Rufai Feigned Illness to Have “Political Meeting” in Detention
…ADC Cries Foul
By Yinka Giwa
A bitter war of words erupted on Tuesday between the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the African Democratic Congress (ADC) over the treatment of former Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, following a hospital visit that ended in the arrest of his personal physician.
The anti-graft agency accused El-Rufai of abusing the privilege of a court-approved medical visit by allegedly turning it into a political meeting, while the ADC countered that the former governor was being subjected to political persecution, denied adequate medical care, and that his wife was assaulted by operatives of the Commission.
In a statement, the ICPC said El-Rufai, who is standing trial before the Kaduna State High Court, failed to appear on the first day of the accelerated hearing of his criminal case after insisting on consulting his personal physician instead of proceeding to court.
According to the Commission, the prosecution informed the court that El-Rufai had declined to accompany its officers to the courtroom, requesting instead to see his personal doctor, Professor Bello Abubakar.
The ICPC said there had been no prior request for such medical consultation and claimed that when questioned by its medical doctor, El-Rufai reportedly stated that he had no immediate medical complaints but that his wife, Asia El-Rufai, who is also one of his lawyers, requested that he be allowed to see his personal physician.
The Commission said the court subsequently adjourned proceedings until 15 July to hear El-Rufai’s application seeking the trial judge’s recusal and to await the decision of the Kaduna State Chief Judge on a petition seeking the transfer of the case.
It said that despite the adjournment, it approved the hospital visit in compliance with the court’s directive and its statutory obligation to protect the rights and welfare of persons in custody.
According to the ICPC, El-Rufai was taken under security escort to the private wing of the National Hospital in Abuja on Tuesday, where officers respected his privacy by remaining outside the consultation room at the request of his family.
However, the Commission alleged that while the medical consultation was supposedly ongoing, photographs were posted on Facebook by one of El-Rufai’s political associates, Isa Ashiru Kudan, showing the former governor in the company of Professor Abubakar, Kudan, and three other individuals.
The ICPC said the photographs indicated that the hospital visit had been used for activities beyond the scope permitted by the court and the Commission.
“It is a clear violation of the court order,” the agency declared.
The Commission accused El-Rufai of abusing the professional courtesies extended to him while in custody, warning that such privileges would no longer be tolerated.
It further disclosed that Professor Bello Abubakar had been arrested for allegedly making false statements and was being investigated.
But the ADC gave a sharply different account of the events.
In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the opposition party alleged that ICPC officials forcefully denied El-Rufai access to proper medical treatment despite medical advice that he required hospitalisation.
The party claimed that the Commission insisted on returning the former governor to custody against the recommendation of doctors at the National Hospital.
According to the ADC, protests by El-Rufai’s wife and personal physician led to a confrontation during which his wife was allegedly assaulted and the doctor arrested.
The party described the actions of the ICPC as evidence that the administration of President Bola Tinubu had gone beyond legitimate law enforcement and was using state institutions to target political opponents.
It alleged that El-Rufai had become “a political prisoner” and accused the Federal Government of violating constitutional guarantees, human dignity, and internationally recognised standards governing the treatment of detainees.
The ADC demanded immediate and unrestricted access for El-Rufai to his family, lawyers, and medical practitioners, a review of what it described as punitive bail conditions, transparency from the ICPC on every restriction imposed on him, and an end to what it called political intimidation and selective justice.
The party also challenged the ICPC to explain why El-Rufai’s family allegedly faced restrictions during the hospital visit and on what legal basis his personal physician was arrested.
But the ICPC maintains that its actions were necessary to enforce a court order and prevent abuse of official privileges, even as the ADC insists that El-Rufai is a political prisoner, and his continued detention meant to serve political ends.