Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has again become the subject of fresh controversy following claims surrounding his health while in the custody of the Department of State Services, DSS.
A former deputy national publicity secretary of the All Progressives Congress, Timi Frank, on Friday raised alarm over what he described as suspicious medical attention allegedly given to El-Rufai while in detention.
Frank claimed that a foreign doctor, said to be Russian, was brought to examine the former governor late Thursday night without the consent of his family members.
In a statement released on Friday, Frank questioned the reason behind the alleged midnight medical visit. He insisted that El-Rufai appeared healthy during his recent appearance before the Federal High Court in Abuja.
According to him, information allegedly obtained from a DSS source showed that the doctor arrived around 9:45 p.m. to examine the former Kaduna governor after claims emerged that he was ill.
“A DSS official reached out to me to reliably confirm that a Russian doctor visited Mallam Nasir El-Rufai at about 9:45 p.m. under the claim that he was ill and required medical attention.
“Although Mallam El-Rufai allegedly refused initially, he was reportedly compelled to undergo medical examination,” Frank said.
The former APC chieftain further questioned why a foreign doctor would be involved in the medical evaluation of El-Rufai at such an unusual hour.
“If Mallam El-Rufai is truly ill, why bring in a foreign doctor at that time of the night?” he queried.
Frank also appealed to northern leaders, youths and civil society groups not to remain silent over the development. He urged prominent stakeholders across the country to demand El-Rufai’s release from DSS custody.
“I pray that northern elders and youths will not sit back and watch anything untoward happen to Mallam El-Rufai,” Frank stated.
“I therefore call on the Nigerian Bar Association, religious leaders, northern elders, traditional rulers, northern youths, civil society organizations, well-meaning Nigerians, and the international community to urgently demand his immediate release so he can adequately prepare for his defense.”
El-Rufai was recently granted bail in the sum of N100 million by Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court in Abuja over allegations linked to national security concerns.
Despite the court ruling, the former governor was reportedly returned to DSS custody pending the fulfilment of his bail conditions.