My Husband Doesn’t Own A Phone” — El-Rufai’s Wife Reacts To Doctor’s Arrest

The wife of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, Asiya El-Rufai, has criticised the arrest of her husband’s personal physician, Dr Abubakar Bello, by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).

According to Ireporter Online, the ICPC had confirmed that Bello was taken into custody over allegations bordering on false statements, a claim that has sparked reactions from the former governor’s family.

Speaking during an interview on Arise Television, Asiya dismissed the allegations against the medical practitioner, describing him as a trusted physician who has attended to El-Rufai’s health needs since his tenure as Director-General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE).

She said, “Professor Bello has been Mallam’s doctor since Mallam was DG, BPE,” while questioning the circumstances surrounding his arrest.

The former governor’s wife also rejected claims that Nasir El-Rufai’s hospital visit was used as an opportunity to meet with political associates, insisting that the visit was solely for medical purposes and was conducted in line with a court order granting him access to healthcare.

She argued that the court directive was clear and accused the ICPC of interpreting it too narrowly. According to her, the hospital appointment was deliberately scheduled for a less busy period to reduce public attention and ensure privacy.

Asiya explained that after the medical consultation, El-Rufai was required to wait at the hospital reception to collect a medical report, adding that people present at the facility approached him because of his public status.

She questioned how her husband could have organised a political meeting when, according to her, he does not have access to a phone.

“How is it that he arranged to have a meeting with politicians? He does not have access to a phone,” she said, arguing that any conversations that took place happened openly in a public environment.

The former governor’s wife further expressed concern over what she described as the “weaponisation of healthcare,” warning that actions against medical professionals could discourage doctors from providing independent opinions.

She stated that intimidating healthcare workers could contribute to the growing challenge of professionals leaving the country in search of better opportunities.

Asiya maintained that the issue goes beyond her husband, stressing that it raises broader concerns about whether professionals can freely perform their duties without fear of intimidation.