BEVERLY HILLS, February 14, (THEWILL) – Group Managing Director (GMD) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Dr. Maikanti Kacalla Baru, is ill and has been flown to an undisclosed Indian hospital where he has undergone surgery for a yet to be disclosed ailment.
Authoritative sources told THEWILL that he was transported out of Nigeria to India about a week ago to treat the ailment.
Baru who replaced Ibe Kachikwu, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources in July 2016, is from Jama’are in Bauchi State, in the North-East geopolitical zone, but grew up in Jos, Plateau State.
Until his appointment, he was Special Adviser (Upstream) to the Minister of State for Petroleum and was NNPC’s Group Executive Director, Exploration and Production.
Efforts to get further information about the health status of Baru from the NNPC and his media team proved abortive as at time of writing this news report.
THEWILL gathered that the Chief Operating Officer, Gas and Power, Mr. Saidu Muhammad is presently running the NNPC in Baru’s absence.
Perhaps, Baru may be taking cue from President Muhammadu Buhari who has been in London for ‘vacation’ but is scheduled to under-go some medical tests that have kept him away from the public and returning to Nigeria as scheduled.
THEWILL recalls that the President asked for a 10-day vacation which was subsequently extended indefinitely by the president on the advise on his doctors.
The Presidency has also refused to state what ailment the President could be battling that would require the medical tests and extension of stay.
This silence has led to speculations about the health status of the President.
Although, he is reported to be tired of staying in London and has been visited by some of his party members, including Mr. Bola Tinubu and Governor Ibikunle Amosun, there has been sparse information about his health status.
