…as wife sends emotional message to President Tinubu, makes case for constitutional rights
By Olawale Lamina
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission ,ICPC, announced it has arrested Bello Abubakar, personal physician to Nasir el-Rufai, for allegedly making false statements after his visit to the former Kaduna state governor.
In a statement on Tuesday, ICPC spokesperson, John Okor Odey alleged that, by what transpired, el-Rufai and Bello abused privileges and acted contrary to a subsisting court order regarding the medical consultation.
According to Odey, the ICPC facilitated el-Rufai’s request for medical attention in what he described as “under appropriate security arrangements.”
He explained that, “During the hospital visit on Tuesday, 7th July, 2026, at the private wing of the National Hospital, FCT, officers of the Commission’s medical and security team conducted themselves professionally and respected the defendant’s privacy.
“At the request of members of his family, the officers remained outside the consultation room while the attending oncologist was purportedly examining him.”
The statement added that, at about 2pm on the stated date, Isa Ashiru Kudan, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) governorship candidate in Kaduna, posted pictures through the Facebook with the caption that certain persons had concluded a meeting with el-Rufai.
“The picture posted on Facebook also had Professor Abubakar, Isa Kudan, and three others with El Rufai at a time he was supposedly having a medical consultation,” the ICPC spokesperson stated.
According to the anti-graft agency, the images and post by Isa Kudan showed that the medical visit was arranged and utilised for activities other than “the scope contemplated by the court and the ICPC” .The Commission described such an action as “a clear violation of the court order!”
The Commission’s spokesperson particularly pointed out that “professional courtesies” being accorded el-Rufai have been repeatedly abused.
Odey therefore declared that, “Professor Bello Abubakar has been arrested for making false statements. At this moment, Professor Bello Abubakar, El Rufai’s personal physician, has been taken into custody for further investigation.”
Recall that, on July 2, 2026, the Kaduna high court dismissed the bail application filed by el-Rufai in the ongoing trial regarding the nine-count charge preferred against him by the anti-graft commission. Darius Khobo, the presiding judge, dismissed the third bail application filed by the former Federal Capital Territory (FCT) minister.
Justice Khobo held that the medical report submitted by el-Rufai, which has been disowned by the issuing agency, National Hospital in Abuja, cannot serve as the foundation for the reliefs sought by the former governor.
The judge also ordered the ICPC to ensure that the defendant is allowed unrestricted access to his personal physicians, who should also be allowed to take him to any specialised diagnostic or clinical facility of his choice within the country, as long as his trial holds.
El-Rufai’s Wife, Asiya appeals to President Tinubu….
In a related development, the wife of the former Kaduna State Governor, ,Hajiya Asiya El-Rufai waxed emotional on Tuesday, as she appealed to President ,Bolarin Ahmed Tinubu on her husband’s case, calling for fair treatment and reminding him of the support she and her husband had given, which in her opinion led to the president’s successful 2023 presidential campaign.
Asiya El-Rufai who spoke with journalists in Abuja, said the family was not asking the President to interfere with the judicial process or halt the prosecution of El-Rufai, but to ensure that he enjoys the constitutional rights he is entitled to as a Nigerian, including access to medical care, family members, lawyers and bail on reasonable conditions.
In her emotional message as reported by the Cable, she recalled the sacrifices made during the 2023 electioneering campaign to secure the victory of President Tinubu.
She was quoted to have stated: “Mr. President Sir, I campaigned for you. I stood up and went to every nook and cranny of Kaduna State for you. My husband stood by your side. Is this what our family deserves?”
“The ball is in your court, Mr. President. All these can stop if you say a word. We believe that you are a father and we know you can empathise.”
“Please let him go free. I am not asking you to tell them not to prosecute him, but we are asking you to allow him the basic human rights that the Constitution you swore to uphold and defend guarantees.”
Reacting to El Rufai’s wife emotion-laden message, a rights activist, who preferred to be anonymous wondered if the family understood the judicial process and the implications of calling on the President to intervene. He added that emotional appeal by one of El Rufai’s wife amounts to interference and expressed the fact that the judicial process must be allowed to run its full course.
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