The medical doctor at the centre of the controversy surrounding a medical report submitted in support of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai’s bail application has admitted preparing the document but denied taking part in any plan to forge or falsify records.
Dr. Bello Abubakar, a Chief Consultant Clinical and Radiation Oncologist at the National Hospital, Abuja, made the disclosure in a statement submitted to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) during an investigation into the disputed report.
The oncologist, who is facing charges filed by the anti-corruption agency, insisted that he authored the medical report in question but rejected allegations that he conspired with anyone to produce false information for use in court proceedings.
According to him, he has no relationship with Mohammed Bala Aliyu, the individual accused of using the report to swear to an affidavit filed in support of El-Rufai’s application for bail.
“I cannot recall anybody with the name Mohammed Bala Aliyu, and I have never authorised him to depose an affidavit,” Abubakar stated.
The ICPC had accused the doctor of knowingly issuing a false medical report intended to influence official actions connected to El-Rufai’s legal proceedings before the Kaduna State High Court.
At the centre of the dispute is a document dated June 10, 2026, titled “Medical Report and Expert Opinion for Urgent Medical Intervention.”
The commission alleged that the report contained misleading information and was presented for official use despite questions surrounding its authenticity and compliance with established medical procedures.
However, Abubakar maintained that he acted within his professional capacity and denied participating in any arrangement aimed at deceiving authorities.
In his statement, the doctor explained that his relationship with El-Rufai dates back several years.
He said he first became acquainted with the former governor through his wife, noting that he had delivered her first child before later attending to El-Rufai as a patient.
According to him, El-Rufai was registered at the National Hospital, Abuja, around 2005 and had been seen by him on several occasions over the years.
Abubakar said the former governor was not registered at his private medical facility, Belam Cancer Centre, but acknowledged that he had attended to him a number of times between 2017 and 2025.
He stated that those consultations did not require formal documentation and were therefore not recorded in the manner of regular hospital visits.
The oncologist further revealed that he examined El-Rufai on three occasions between June and July 2026 while the former governor was in ICPC custody.
According to him, two of those consultations took place within the commission’s facility and were conducted in the presence of medical personnel attached to the agency.
He said the third consultation was carried out at the National Hospital in Abuja.
Abubakar added that records of his visits to the ICPC facility exist and can be verified through the agency’s reception and visitor documentation process.
He also referred to a consultation held on July 9, which he said involved his senior registrar.
According to him, the Chief Medical Director of the National Hospital and the Director of Clinical Services later joined the medical team during the engagement.
Addressing photographs that allegedly showed him handing over a medical report to members of El-Rufai’s family, the doctor said the images were taken in a waiting area and not inside a consultation room.
He explained that the release of medical reports follows a standard process in which requests are forwarded to the relevant consultant for preparation before being sent for official stamping.
According to him, once a consultant completes a report, the document is forwarded to the office of the Director of Clinical Services for the necessary endorsement before being released to the patient or authorised representatives.
Abubakar argued that it was not his responsibility to determine whether a report had been officially registered within the hospital’s administrative system after it had been prepared.
He also declined to disclose details of El-Rufai’s medical condition, insisting that doing so without the patient’s approval would violate professional ethics and confidentiality obligations.
The case has, however, taken another turn following indications that senior officials of the National Hospital may challenge the legitimacy of the report during court proceedings.
Court filings show that the hospital’s Chief Medical Director, Dr. Raji Mahmud, is expected to testify that the report was not authorised through the institution’s established procedures.
Meanwhile, the ICPC has reportedly petitioned the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, seeking disciplinary action against the oncologist over the allegations.Nigeria news updates
The anti-corruption agency requested a formal investigation into the circumstances surrounding the issuance of the medical report and whether professional standards were breached.
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