Former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Timi Frank, has alleged a fresh plot against former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, claiming that a doctor of Russian origin was secretly brought to examine him while in the custody of the Department of State Services.
In a statement issued on Friday, Frank claimed that a DSS official contacted him to confirm that the foreign doctor visited El-Rufai at about 9:45 p.m. after authorities allegedly said the former governor was ill and needed urgent medical attention.
According to Frank, El-Rufai initially resisted the examination but was later compelled to undergo the medical procedure.
“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,” Frank said.
“Although Mallam El-Rufai allegedly refused initially, he was reportedly compelled to undergo medical examination.”
Frank, who is also the United Liberation Movement for West Papua Ambassador to East Africa and the Middle East, questioned why a foreign doctor would allegedly be brought in at night if the former governor genuinely required treatment.
“If Mallam El-Rufai is truly ill, why bring in a foreign doctor at that time of the night?” he queried.
“Sneaking him in under the guise of being a doctor or a mercenary posing as a doctor to carry out this dirty job raises serious questions. How do we verify and how are we sure? This is Nigeria and anything is very possible under this administration,” he added.
The former APC spokesman maintained that El-Rufai appeared healthy during his last court appearance and argued that any medical attention should ordinarily have been based on the former governor’s consent or request.
“The Mallam El-Rufai many Nigerians saw during his last court appearance looked healthy and stable,” Frank said.
“If medical attention was genuinely required, shouldn’t it have been at his own request? What then happened to the medical personnel attached to the nation’s security agencies?”
Frank further claimed that the alleged appearance of the Russian doctor had heightened fears following what he described as earlier intelligence reports of a plot against the former Kaduna governor.
“Given the earlier intelligence I received regarding an alleged plot to eliminate Mallam El-Rufai, the sudden appearance of a Russian doctor now raises serious suspicions and deep concern,” he stated.
He also questioned what he described as the “desperation” surrounding El-Rufai’s detention, asking whether President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani were afraid of the former governor.
“The question Nigerians should ask is this: what exactly are President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Governor Uba Sani afraid of?” Frank asked.
“Is there something they know that the Nigerian public do not know? Why the apparent desperation and extraordinary measures being taken against him?”
Frank recalled El-Rufai’s role in the emergence of the current administration, saying the former governor played a critical role during the 2023 general elections.
“We all know the critical role Mallam El-Rufai played in the last election, especially when then-candidate Bola Ahmed Tinubu visited him in Kaduna and appealed to him to remain committed to supporting the administration,” he said.
The former APC spokesman also claimed that he had earlier predicted El-Rufai’s arrest after attending court proceedings.
“Recall that I had earlier stated publicly that Mallam El-Rufai would eventually be picked up from the court premises — and exactly that happened. Nigerians should therefore not treat these developments lightly,” he added.
Frank further alleged that El-Rufai had been returned to DSS custody despite what he described as a subsisting order for him to remain with the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission.
He identified the foreign doctor as “Dr Dmitriy,” alleging that the medical examination was conducted without proper consultation with El-Rufai or members of his family.
“It is strange that a Russian doctor, who has now after further intelligence been identified as one Dr Dmitriy, was brought in to examine Mallam El-Rufai without proper consultation with him or members of his family,” Frank alleged.
“Despite a subsisting order for him to remain with the ICPC, the DSS reportedly hurriedly moved him back into its custody. Naturally, this development has intensified public suspicion.”
Frank argued that El-Rufai had not attempted to evade security agencies, stressing that the former governor voluntarily presented himself after returning to Nigeria from Egypt.
“It is also clear to every reasonable observer that Mallam El-Rufai is not on the run. In fact, he voluntarily presented himself to security agencies immediately upon his return to Nigeria from Egypt. Since when did corruption allegations become non-bailable offences?” he queried.
While reiterating his support for the anti-corruption campaign, Frank insisted that due process and the rule of law must be upheld.
“For the umpteenth time, I reiterate my support for the fight against corruption. However, fairness, justice, rule of law, and due process must never be sacrificed under any circumstance,” he stated.
He also called on the Nigerian Bar Association, religious leaders, northern elders, traditional rulers, civil society organisations and the international community to intervene and demand El-Rufai’s release.
“I therefore call on the Nigerian Bar Association, religious leaders, northern elders, traditional rulers, northern youths, civil society organisations, well-meaning Nigerians, and the international community to urgently demand his immediate release so he can adequately prepare for his defence,” Frank said.
He warned that failure to act urgently could lead to dire consequences.
“If urgent action is not taken, there are growing fears that Mallam El-Rufai may either be brought out dead, released only to die later at home, or kept in prolonged detention until after the 2027 general elections,” he alleged.
“Let us act before it is too late.”
