The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has arrested Professor Bello Abubakar, the personal physician of former Kaduna State governor, Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, accusing him of making false statements and aiding what it described as an abuse of a court-approved medical visit.
Key Highlights:
- ICPC says it arrested Professor Bello Abubakar, El-Rufai’s personal physician.
- The agency alleges El-Rufai misused a court-approved medical visit.
- ICPC claims El-Rufai held a political meeting instead of only seeing his doctor.
- Photos allegedly showed El-Rufai with Isa Ashiru Kudan and others at the hospital.
- The criminal case was adjourned to July 15, 2026, over pending legal applications.
- ICPC says it will inform the court of the alleged breach and is investigating the doctor.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the anti-corruption agency alleged that El-Rufai, who is in its custody over an ongoing criminal trial, violated the terms of a medical visit approved by the court by holding a political meeting instead of undergoing only medical consultation.
According to the ICPC, the Kaduna State High Court had fixed July 6, 7 and 8, 2026, for the accelerated hearing of criminal charges against El-Rufai. However, the former governor failed to appear in court on the first day of proceedings.
The Commission said its prosecutors informed the court that El-Rufai refused to accompany officers to the courtroom, insisting on seeing his personal doctor. It added that there had been no prior request for such a consultation and that the Commission’s medical doctor reportedly found that El-Rufai had no immediate medical complaints. According to the agency, El-Rufai said the request was made by his wife, Asia El-Rufai, who is also one of his lawyers.
Following arguments by both parties, the court adjourned proceedings until July 15, 2026, to hear El-Rufai’s application seeking the trial judge’s recusal and to await the directive of the state’s Chief Judge on a petition seeking the transfer of the case.
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Despite the adjournment, the ICPC said it granted El-Rufai permission to visit his personal physician at the private wing of National Hospital Abuja under security escort, in compliance with the court’s directive and its obligation to protect the welfare of persons in custody.
The Commission alleged that while its officers remained outside the consultation room to respect the defendant’s privacy, photographs later surfaced on Facebook showing El-Rufai in the company of his physician, political associate Isa Ashiru Kudan and three other individuals.
According to the ICPC, the photographs, allegedly posted by Isa Ashiru Kudan around 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, indicated that the hospital visit was used for purposes beyond the medical consultation approved by the court.
“The arranged medical visit was utilised for activities outside the scope contemplated by the court and the ICPC. This is a clear violation of the court order,” the Commission said.
The anti-graft agency stated that it would draw the court’s attention to what it described as El-Rufai’s “flagrant disobedience” of its order.
It further announced the arrest of Professor Bello Abubakar, accusing the physician of making false statements. The doctor is currently in ICPC custody and is being investigated.
The Commission maintained that while it would continue to operate within the law, it would no longer tolerate what it described as the abuse of its goodwill by suspects or other individuals.
