Muyiwa Adekeye, media spokesman for ex-Kaduna governor Nasir El-Rufai, has leveled serious accusations against the ICPC. He claims the anti-corruption agency is blocking his boss from receiving medical treatment while in detention.
El-Rufai complained about itchy, swollen eyes and asked to visit a hospital. ICPC officials rejected the request outright, Adekeye said in a statement released Tuesday.
An eye clinic examined the former governor on June 4. But his condition worsened dramatically in recent days, sparking alarm within his family circle.
Two ICPC officers actually inspected El-Rufai's eyes themselves. They could plainly see the redness and swelling, according to Adekeye's account.
Yet no medical help followed that inspection. Instead, an official named Henry—reportedly on loan from another agency—told family members something different entirely.
Henry claimed El-Rufai didn't want to see a doctor, Adekeye noted. A family member challenged Henry sharply over this claim, insisting it was false.
This isn't the first time ICPC staff have misrepresented what El-Rufai supposedly said. Adekeye stressed the pattern of distortion happening behind closed doors.
El-Rufai's wives visited him on a recent day and found him in considerable discomfort. His deteriorating eye condition alarmed them deeply.
The ex-governor's lawyers obtained a court order permitting medical access. That order specifically allows him to see his own physicians and receive treatment.
Despite having that court document in hand, ICPC continues stonewalling, Adekeye complained bitterly. He described the agency's conduct as stripping El-Rufai of basic human rights.
No government body should withhold medical care from detainees in its custody. Adekeye made this fundamental point about legal and moral obligations.
ICPC must obey court orders, he demanded. The agency must also respect human rights and provide necessary medical treatment without delay.
El-Rufai's family raised similar concerns back in May. They accused the ICPC of blocking food deliveries and denying medical access at that time.
The former governor's personal physician visited ICPC headquarters previously. He came to discuss results from medical tests performed on El-Rufai.
Adekeye's statement paints a picture of systemic obstruction. He portrays ICPC officials as indifferent to a detainee's health crisis and his legally-obtained rights.
The spokesman called the agency's behavior insensitive and absurd. He emphasized that custody doesn't erase a person's entitlement to proper healthcare.
