Former Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai has claimed that he was denied access to medical care for a worsening eye condition while in the custody of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC.
In a statement issued on Friday, El-Rufai’s spokesperson, Muyiwa Adekeye said ICPC operatives ignored repeated requests by the former governor and his family for a hospital visit after his eyes became “visibly swollen, reddish, and itchy.”
He explained that the discomfort escalated overnight, alarming family members who visited him.
According to Adekeye, two ICPC officials examined el-Rufai’s eyes and were expected to either arrange a hospital check or summon a doctor. Instead, he claimed, no medical attention was provided.
“The persistent problem with his eyes during his time in custody had led Mallam’s counsels to obtain a court order to enable him access to his doctors and medical treatment,” Adekeye said.
“Despite this, the ICPC persists in treating him as if he is without rights and undeserving of a duty of care while in their custody,” he added.
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Adekeye further alleged that an official identified as “Henry,” reportedly seconded to the ICPC from another agency, falsely informed a family member that el-Rufai had refused to see a doctor. He said the family “vigorously challenged” the claim, describing it as “false, insensitive, and absurd.”
He noted that: this was “not the first time ICPC officials have attempted to attribute to Mallam what he did not tell them.”
El-Rufai was eventually taken to an eye clinic on Thursday, but his condition deteriorated overnight, prompting alarm from his wives who visited him on Friday, the statement said.
Adekeye warned that no government agency is permitted to ignore the medical needs of detainees. “The ICPC must respect the human rights of persons in its custody, obey court orders, and allow them access to the medical treatment they require,” he stated.
As of press time, the ICPC had yet to respond to the allegations.
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