Buhari’s medical bills can’t be released without his consent, court rules

The federal high court in Abuja has ruled that information on the amount expended on President Muhammadu Buhari’s treatment in London cannot be released without his consent.

The suit was filed by Advocacy for Societal Rights Advancement and Development Initiative, a civil society group which alleged that Buhari’s medical expenses were paid from the Nigerian treasury.

The letter was directed to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) requesting on the strength of the freedom of information act, the details of the expenses.

The group had also requested information on what it cost the country to keep the presidential aircraft and crew for 103 days at the Stansted Airport in the UK while Buhari’s medical treatment lasted.

When the CBN failed to yield to its demands, the group requested an order compelling the apex bank to release the information.

John Tsoho, the judge, while delivering judgement on Tuesday, held that the group was seeking a personal information and that it was exempted by Section 14(1)(b) of the FoI Act, 2011.

Tsoho also ruled that CBN and Godwin Emefiele, its governor, could not be held liable for not disclosing the information, having transferred the group’s request to the office of the chief of staff to the president.

He added that the plaintiff ought to have followed up on the information with the office of the chief of staff, but refused to take advantage of it, thereby depriving itself of a definite answer from the government.

The judge also struck out the name of Abubakar Malami, the attorney-general of the federation and minister of justice, as the third defendant on the grounds that “no reasonable cause of action” was disclosed against him.

He also struck out the plaintiff’s request for damages which he ruled as “bound to fail”.