El-Rufai spends second night in EFCC custody over N432bn probe

Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, remained in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday night, as his counsel, A.U. Mustapha (SAN), continued moves to secure his release on bail.

It was gathered that El-Rufai reported to the EFCC headquarters in Abuja at about 10 a.m. on Monday, following an invitation over an alleged ₦432 billion corruption investigation. However, he was held back for additional interrogation.

Sources within the anti-corruption agency disclosed that operatives may approach the court for a remand order to keep him in custody beyond the legally stipulated 48 hours.

A senior EFCC official, who requested anonymity, refuted online claims suggesting the former governor had regained freedom.

“Forget the speculations being peddled on social media that he has been released. He has not. El-Rufai is still with us and will be spending another night in custody,” the source told The PUNCH.

“He is very much with us and will remain so because the investigators are considering getting a remand order after the expiration of the 48 hours allowed by law.

“The investigators need some time with him to answer questions arising from his eight years as governor in Kaduna State,” the official added.

According to the source, the commission had been working on the case for nearly a year before formally inviting El-Rufai.

“As a commission, we don’t just rush to invite suspects. Persons accused are always the last; that is, after we might have done our investigation to an advanced stage.

“We are investigating him on the allegations against him by the Kaduna State Assembly,” the source stated.

In a telephone conversation with The PUNCH, Mustapha confirmed that his client was still in EFCC detention and cooperating with investigators.

“Well, as a responsible citizen, he was invited and, true to his word, he honoured the invitation,” Mustapha said.

“As we speak, he is still with the EFCC. He is cooperating to the best of his capacity, and we hope that the EFCC, given its integrity, will be kind enough to admit him to bail because he is presumed innocent.

“I am sure if he is granted bail, he will not jump bail. He is a responsible citizen, and everybody knows him. He came to Nigeria on his own volition. He wrote a letter that he was going to honour the EFCC invitation, and he kept his word as a man of integrity.”

When pressed on the nature of the allegations, the lawyer declined to elaborate.

“You’re asking the right question from the wrong person. That question can only be answered by the EFCC and not by me. I would just be speculating, and lawyers don’t do that,” he said.

He also maintained that details of the interrogation could not be disclosed, describing them as confidential and sensitive.

The EFCC investigation stems from a 2024 report by an ad hoc panel of the Kaduna State House of Assembly established to examine financial transactions, loan agreements, and contract awards between 2015 and 2023 under El-Rufai’s leadership.

The committee, headed by Henry Zacharia, alleged that some loans secured during the period were diverted from their approved purposes.

While presenting the findings, the Speaker of the House, Yusuf Dahiru Leman, alleged that about ₦423 billion was misappropriated during the former governor’s tenure.

The lawmakers advised that El-Rufai and certain former officials be investigated and prosecuted over claims of abuse of office, diversion of funds, money laundering, irregular contract awards, and excessive borrowing.

Petitions arising from the report were later submitted to the EFCC and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission.

El-Rufai has repeatedly rejected the accusations, insisting they are politically driven. He maintains that all loans obtained during his administration were properly approved and channelled into infrastructure, education, healthcare, and security initiatives.

Meanwhile, the Department of State Services (DSS) has instituted criminal proceedings against the former governor at the Federal High Court in Abuja over alleged unlawful interception of the phone communications of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.

The three-count charge, numbered FHC/ABJ/CR/99/2026, was filed pursuant to the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Amendment Act, 2024, and the Nigerian Communications Act, 2003.

Court documents allege that during a February 13, 2026 appearance on Arise TV’s Prime Time Programme, El-Rufai admitted that he and unnamed associates intercepted Ribadu’s communications.

Count One alleged that he “did admit during the interview that you and your cohorts unlawfully intercepted the phone communications of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.”

Count Two accused him of failing to notify security agencies about knowledge of individuals allegedly involved in the interception, while Count Three claimed he and others still at large deployed technical devices that threatened public safety and national security.

The prosecution further argued that the alleged actions created “reasonable apprehension of insecurity among Nigerians.”

As of the time of filing this report, El-Rufai had yet to be arraigned over the charges.