An aide and close friend of Mamman Daura, Aminu Balele Kurfi, has said that the nephew to President Muhammadu Buhari travelled to London for a routine medical check-up.

Mr Kurfi was reacting to reports Wednesday that Mr Daura was flown to the UK aboard a private jet after developing a serious medical condition suspected to be COVID-19-related.

Speaking to PREMIUM TIMES Wednesday evening, Mr Kurfi said: “the whole world saw Mallam Mamman Daura without any sign of illness on Tuesday when he attended the funeral prayer for the late journalist, Wada Maida.”

He also said Mr Daura often travels for medical checks with his long-term doctors based in the United Kingdom.

“I was one of those who saw him off at the Airport and he called me when they landed in London this evening (yesterday),” he said.

He described reports of serious illness as inaccurate.

“At 80 years it is natural that he will from time to time undertake medical checks,” Mr Kurfi said as reported by Solabase.

He added that as a free citizen, Mr Daura is free to seek for medical services or opinion anywhere.

“If he were sick and the sickness is COVID-19, do you think UK authorities will allow him to travel there at this time?” he asked.

Nigeria had on March 23 suspended local and international flights to and from the country as one of the ways of curtailing the spread of coronavirus which has so far infected over 50,000 Nigerians and killed 985 of them.

While local flights resumed on July 8, international flights will only resume on August 29.

It is unclear why an exemption was made for Mr Daura to fly out of the country for routine medical tests.

Mr Kurfi, his associate, did not say, although many Nigerians are suggesting he got the special treatment because of his relationship with Mr Buhari.

Mr Daura, a powerful member of the president’s inner caucus, is believed to have a huge influence on the president and his administration.