Nigeria's ICPC arrests former governor Nasir El‑Rufai’s personal doctor

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) announced the arrest of Professor Bello Abubakar, the personal physician of former Kaduna State governor Nasir El‑Rufai. The commission said the doctor was taken into custody for allegedly making false statements and for abusing a court‑approved medical visit.

The Kaduna State High Court had scheduled an accelerated hearing on July 6‑8, 2026, but El‑Rufai failed to appear on the first day. He later requested a medical consultation at the private wing of the National Hospital, FCT, which the ICPC facilitated in compliance with the court order. Photos posted on Facebook by El‑Rufai’s associate Isa Ashiru Kudan showed the former governor meeting with the doctor and others during the time the medical consultation was supposed to take place, leading the ICPC to label the visit a violation of the court order.

The commission warned that such courtesies would not be tolerated and said it would refer the breach to the court. The hearing was adjourned to July 15, 2026, to consider El‑Rufai’s application for a judge’s recusal and a petition on case transfer.