The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) says Nasir el-Rufai, former governor of Kaduna, was not denied access to medical and family care at its detention facility.
El-Rufai has been in the custody of the ICPC since February
19 over alleged financial impropriety during his tenure as governor of Kaduna
state between 2015 and 2023.
On April 13, the ICPC arraigned the former governor at the
Kaduna high court on an amended nine-count charge bordering on alleged fraud
and abuse of office.
On Friday, Mohammed Bello, a lawmaker representing Kaduna
north federal constituency in the house of representatives and the son of Nasir
el-Rufai, alleged that the ICPC prevented his father’s wife from bringing him
food.
The legislator also said officials of the agency barred a
doctor from seeing el-Rufai, describing the action as a violation of his
fundamental human rights.
‘IT’S FALSE, MISLEADING’
Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Okor Odey, ICPC
spokesperson, described the lawmaker’s claim as “false and misleading”.
Odey said the “commission is pained that people would
concoct falsehoods” against the anti-graft agency.
The ICPC spokesperson said the agency’s access control
protocol permits visitors entry between 9am and 6:30pm.
He said the former governor’s wife arrived at the ICPC
facility outside the approved visiting hours.
“The families of all defendants and suspects in ICPC
custody, including the family in question, were duly informed of this protocol
and have, until this incident, been in compliance,” he said.
“On the Friday in question, one of the defendant’s wives and
a housemaid were permitted to bring food to the defendant on no fewer than
three occasions between 10:30am and 5:30pm.”
Odey said the visitor’s register, which records the names of
family members and the purpose of each visit, is available for verification.
“Authorised visitors — including family members, legal
counsel, and medical personnel are permitted to visit, deliver food, and
consult with persons in custody,” he said.
“However, entry is strictly not permitted after 6:30pm.”
Odey dismissed a viral video in which el-Rufai’s wife
claimed she was denied access, noting that she arrived at 7pm — 30 minutes
after the official access window had closed.
“It is also on record that she has on prior occasions
exceeded her permitted visiting duration,” Odey said.
“Furthermore, the woman herself admitted in the same video
that she had delivered both breakfast and lunch to her husband earlier that
day, thereby contradicting the allegation that the ICPC denied him access to
food.
“Given his profile, the ICPC is obligated to maintain
elevated security measures for his protection, as well as that of all other
persons in its custody.”
Odey denied allegations that el-Rufai’s medical personnel
were denied access, saying the commission’s operatives requested proper
identification from the personnel and confirmation from the defendant before
granting them supervised entry.
“It is a standard security procedure. It bears mentioning
that in the week preceding this incident, Malam el-Rufai had requested, and was
granted permission to visit both his dentist and eye doctor on two separate
occasions,” he said.
“The commission accompanied him on both visits. This is in
addition to the regular access he enjoys to the commission’s in-house medical
personnel and facilities upon request.”
Odey said the ICPC will not be “drawn into dramatised
narratives designed to circumvent lawful institutional procedures”.
Advertise on NigerianEye.com to reach thousands of our daily users
No comments
Post a Comment
Kindly drop a comment below.
(Comments are moderated. Clean comments will be approved immediately)
Advert Enquires - Reach out to us at NigerianEye@gmail.com