Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai remained in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday night, as his lawyer, A.U. Mustapha (SAN), stepped up efforts to secure his bail.
El-Rufai arrived at the EFCC headquarters in Abuja on Monday at about 10 a.m. in response to an invitation over an alleged ₦432bn corruption probe but was detained for further questioning.
Sources within the anti-graft agency indicated that investigators were considering seeking a remand order to extend his detention beyond the statutory period.
An official of the commission, who spoke on condition of anonymity, dismissed reports circulating on social media that the former governor had been released.
“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.
The source further disclosed that the commission had been investigating the matter for about a year before inviting the former governor.
“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.
Speaking in a telephone interview with The PUNCH, El-Rufai’s counsel, A.U. Mustapha, confirmed that his client remained in EFCC custody and was cooperating fully 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 asked about the specific allegations against his client, Mustapha declined comment.
“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 refused to comment on the content of the interrogation, describing it as confidential and potentially prejudicial.
The EFCC’s probe is linked to the findings of an ad hoc committee of the Kaduna State House of Assembly set up in 2024 to investigate finances, loans, and contracts awarded between 2015 and 2023 during El-Rufai’s administration.
The committee, chaired by Henry Zacharia, alleged that several loans obtained within the period were not utilised for their intended purposes.
Presenting the report, the Speaker of the House, Yusuf Dahiru Leman, claimed that about ₦423bn was allegedly siphoned during the former governor’s tenure.
The committee recommended the investigation and prosecution of El-Rufai and some former cabinet members over alleged abuse of office, diversion of public funds, money laundering, contract awards without due process, and reckless borrowing.
Petitions were subsequently forwarded to the EFCC and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission.
El-Rufai has consistently denied the allegations, describing the probe as politically motivated. He insisted that all loans secured under his administration were duly appropriated and deployed to infrastructure, education, healthcare and security projects.
DSS Files Fresh Charges
In a separate development, the Department of State Services (DSS) has filed criminal charges against the former governor before 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, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/99/2026, was filed under the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Amendment Act, 2024, and the Nigerian Communications Act, 2003.
According to the charge sheet, El-Rufai allegedly admitted during a February 13, 2026, appearance on Arise TV’s Prime Time Programme 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 report knowledge of an individual involved in the alleged interception to security agencies, while Count Three alleged that he and others still at large used technical equipment that compromised public safety and national security.
The prosecution further claimed that the alleged act caused “reasonable apprehension of insecurity among Nigerians.”
As of the time of filing this report, El-Rufai had not been arraigned in connection with the charges.
