By Ghazali Ibrahim
Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai was detained by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Monday night after he honoured an invitation from the anti-graft agency to answer questions in an ongoing investigation into alleged financial misconduct involving about N432 billion.
El-Rufai arrived at the EFCC’s headquarters in Jabi, Abuja at about 10 a.m. to respond to the invitation, sources said.
He was interrogated for several hours over allegations stemming from a 2024 Kaduna State House of Assembly ad-hoc committee report which claims loans and public funds obtained by his administration were mismanaged, awarded without due process or diverted for other uses.
A senior EFCC official said investigators had been looking into the matter for about a year before formally inviting the former governor. When asked late Monday whether El-Rufai would be released, the source stated he remained in custody pending further action.
The EFCC has declined detailed comments on the case but confirmed that El-Rufai cooperated with investigators.
While the EFCC conducted its questioning, the Department of State Services (DSS) filed a three-count criminal charge against El-Rufai at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The charges allege he unlawfully intercepted the telephone communications of Nigeria’s National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, during a February 13 television interview, conduct the DSS says violates the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Amendment Act, 2024 and the Nigerian Communications Act, 2003.
According to the charge sheet, El-Rufai is accused of admitting knowledge of the interception, failing to report the offence, and associating with individuals linked to the alleged phone-tapping.
If convicted on the cybercrime charges, El-Rufai could face up to two years in prison or fines under the relevant laws.
The developments have triggered a mix of protests and public debate. Supporters gathered outside the EFCC headquarters, chanting solidarity slogans, while critics urged law enforcement to pursue accountability.
The Kaduna State House of Assembly had initially submitted its report to anti-graft bodies, alleging misappropriation of up to N423 billion in loans and public funds during El-Rufai’s tenure from 2015 to 2023.
El-Rufai has continually denied wrongdoing, dismissing the probe as politically motivated and asserting that public funds were properly applied to infrastructure, education, healthcare and security programmes.
In a related development, the DSS reopened the 2019 disappearance case of Abubakar “Dadiyata” Idris, a government critic who went missing in Kaduna, and investigators have reportedly widened their review to include El-Rufai and members of his family.
El-Rufai remains in EFCC custody as the agency continues its probe. No court date has yet been fixed for his arraignment in the alleged financial or cybercrime cases.
