Muyiwa Adekeye, Media Adviser to former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has accused the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) of denying his principal access to medical care while in custody.

Adekeye, in a statement, said El-Rufai, who had complained of itchy eyes, had requested to visit the hospital to check his condition, but the request was turned down by ICPC officials.

According to the aide, the former governor had been taken to an eye clinic on June 4, but the condition of his eyes deteriorated recently, a situation Adekeye said had raised concerns among El-Rufai’s family.

“ICPC officials denied requests by Mallam Nasir El-Rufai to see a doctor. He had complained about his eyes which are visibly swollen, reddish and itchy. His family drew the attention of the operatives to his condition and his request for a hospital visit to check his condition.

“Two ICPC officials checked and saw the condition of his eyes. This was expected step to prompt either a hospital check or that a doctor would be summoned to attend to him.”

Adekeye further alleged that the commission failed to relay El-Rufai’s position accurately to his family.

“However, no medical attention was arranged. Rather one Henry, believed to have been seconded to the ICPC from another agency, falsely informed a family member that El Rufai did not wish to see a doctor. Henry was vigorously challenged by a family member for this false, insensitive and absurd claim.

“This is not the first time that an attempt will be made by ICPC officials to attribute to Mallam what he did not tell them.

“Mallam had been taken to an eye clinic on Thursday, 4 June, but his eyes had gotten worse overnight, putting him in great discomfort and alarming the wives who visited him today.”

He criticised the commission for allegedly violating El-Rufai’s rights despite a court order obtained by his lawyers to enable him access medical care, noting that no government agency should deny a person in its custody access to medical healthcare.

“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. Despite this, the ICPC persists in treating him as if he is without rights and is undeserving of a duty of care while in their custody.

“No agency of the government is allowed to be indifferent to the medical condition of a person in their custody. The ICPC must respect human rights of persons in its custody, obey court orders and allow them access to the medical treatment that they require.”

The family of the former governor had earlier in May accused the ICPC of denying him access to medical care and food deliveries while in custody.

In a statement, the family said El-Rufai’s personal doctor visited the ICPC headquarters to discuss the outcome of some medical tests conducted on the former governor.

However, officials of the commission allegedly prevented the doctor from seeing him, insisting that written approval from the ICPC chairman was required.

The family described the action as a direct violation of the court order and an attack on his fundamental rights.

The statement further alleged that El-Rufai’s wife, Aichatou, was also turned away when she arrived at about 7 p.m. with his evening meal.

According to the family, ICPC personnel informed her that food deliveries were not permitted after 6:30 p.m., citing internal directives.

The agency had denied the allegations. (Daily Trust)

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