Buhari Dragged To Court Over Foreign Medical Care

Deji Enisenyin, a lawyer and human rights activist, has taken President Muhammadu Buhari to court on the ground of violating provisions of the National Health Act, 2014 by his penchant for foreign medical treatment.

The suit, marked FHC/AB/CS/51/21 at the Federal High Court, Abeokuta, stated that the president specifically breached the provisions of Section 46 of the said act being a public officer.

He, therefore, sought an order of court declaring that the funding of Buhari’s medical trip on March 30, 2021, without the recommendation of the Medical Board and approval of the Minister of Health “is a flagrant violation of the provisions of Section 46 of the National Health Act, 2014, Act No. 8, A 139 – 172.”

He stated that Section 46 of the National Health Act, 2014 provides that, “without prejudice to the right of any Nigerian to seek medical check-up, investigation or treatment anywhere within and outside Nigeria, no public officer of the Government of the Federation or any part thereof shall be sponsored for medical check-up, investigation or treatment abroad at public expense except in exceptional cases on the recommendation and referral by the medical board and which recommendation or referral shall be duly approved by the Minister or the Commissioner as the case may be.”

Muhammadu Buhari was listed as first defendant, while the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN); President of the Senate Ahmad Lawan, and the National Assembly were joined as second, third and fourth defendants respectively.