Court Rejects El-Rufai’s Bail Application Over Fraudulent Medical Report

The High Court of Kaduna State has dismissed a third bail application filed by former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, who is currently facing criminal charges brought by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).

The application, which was based on health grounds, relied on a medical report allegedly issued by the National Hospital, Abuja. The document claimed that the former governor was suffering from advanced metastatic prostate cancer, a condition it asserted could not be treated within Nigeria.

However, the ICPC successfully challenged the application by presenting a formal disclaimer from the National Hospital. Professor Muhammad Raji Mahmud, the hospital’s Chief Medical Director, confirmed that a thorough review of the facility’s electronic medical records and patient indexes showed no evidence that the defendant had ever received treatment there. The hospital management further stated that the medical report was issued without their knowledge or authorization.

In his ruling on June 29, 2026, Justice D. H. Khobo stated that the document had been fundamentally discredited. The court held that because the institution named on the letterhead had formally disowned the report, it could not be used as a basis to grant an exceptional request for bail. With the evidence deemed unreliable, the court found no sufficient grounds to exercise judicial discretion in favor of the applicant.

While denying the bail request, the court ordered the ICPC to ensure the defendant retains unrestricted access to his personal physicians. The Commission was also directed to provide the necessary security for the defendant to visit any specialized medical or diagnostic facility of his choosing within Nigeria throughout the duration of his trial.

The ICPC welcomed the court’s decision, describing it as a validation of the requirement that medical bail applications must be backed by credible and verifiable documentation. The commission reiterated its commitment to conducting its prosecutions with transparency and full respect for the constitutional rights of the accused.