Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, was detained on Monday night at the headquarters of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Abuja after hours of interrogation over an alleged N432 billion corruption probe.
El-Rufai, a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress, arrived at the commission’s Jabi office around 10:00 a.m. in response to an invitation. He was questioned over allegations stemming from the 2024 report of the Kaduna State House of Assembly, which accused his administration of misappropriating loans, breaching due process in contract awards, and plunging the state into heavy debt.
A senior EFCC official disclosed that investigations into the former governor had been ongoing for about a year, stressing that invitations are typically extended only after inquiries have reached an advanced stage.
Late Monday night, the source confirmed that El-Rufai remained in custody and would not be released that day.
EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, acknowledged that the former governor honoured the invitation but declined to provide details on the interrogation or subsequent steps.
The detention marks a significant escalation in the legal challenges facing the outspoken former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, whose recent criticism of the Federal Government and security agencies has heightened political tensions.
Assembly Report Alleges N423bn Misappropriation
The EFCC’s interrogation is rooted in the report of the Kaduna State House of Assembly’s ad hoc committee constituted in 2024 to investigate finances, loans, and contracts awarded between 2015 and 2023 under El-Rufai’s administration.
Presenting the report during plenary, the committee chairman, Henry Zacharia, alleged that most loans obtained during the eight-year tenure were not utilised for their intended purposes.
Speaker of the House, Yusuf Dahiru Leman, further alleged that approximately N423 billion was siphoned during the administration, leaving Kaduna State with substantial liabilities and a rising debt profile.
The committee recommended investigation and prosecution of the former governor and several cabinet members over alleged abuse of office, contract awards without due process, diversion of public funds, money laundering, and reckless borrowing. The Assembly subsequently petitioned the EFCC and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission.
Beyond the headline N423 billion allegation, the report referenced disputed cash payments and contracts exceeding N155 million, the alleged diversion of N1.37 billion earmarked for a light rail project, and the purported laundering of N64.8 million by senior aides.
El-Rufai has consistently denied wrongdoing, describing the probe as politically motivated and insisting that all loans secured during his tenure were duly appropriated and applied to infrastructure, education reforms, healthcare upgrades, and security interventions.
Criminal Charges Over Alleged Phone Interception
While the EFCC investigation was underway, the Federal Government filed criminal charges against El-Rufai before the Federal High Court in Abuja over the alleged unlawful interception of the phone communications of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.
The three-count charge, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/99/2026 and filed under the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Amendment Act, 2024, and the Nigerian Communications Act, 2003, accuses the former governor of admitting during a television interview that he and unnamed associates intercepted Ribadu’s communications.
According to the charge sheet, the alleged admission was made on February 13, 2026, during an appearance on Prime Time on Arise TV.
The prosecution alleges that El-Rufai admitted to unlawful interception of the NSA’s phone communications, failed to report the act to relevant authorities, and used technical systems that compromised public safety and national security. The government further claims that the alleged admission created “reasonable apprehension of insecurity among Nigerians.”
No date has been fixed for his arraignment.
During the interview, El-Rufai stated that he became aware of an alleged plan to arrest him through a leaked conversation from the NSA’s phone, acknowledging that the act was “technically illegal,” while alleging that such practices were common.
The disclosure triggered reactions from political and security stakeholders. Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga accused the former governor of attempting to stir political tension and divert attention from corruption allegations in Kaduna State.
Under Nigeria’s Cybercrimes Act, unauthorised interception of communications carries penalties ranging from fines to imprisonment of up to 10 years, depending on the severity of the offence.
DSS Reopens Dadiyata Disappearance Case
In a parallel development, the Department of State Services (DSS) has reopened investigations into the 2019 disappearance of Abubakar Idris, popularly known as Dadiyata.
Dadiyata, a lecturer at the Federal University Dutsinma, Katsina State, was declared missing on August 1, 2019, after gunmen reportedly abducted him from his Kaduna residence. His whereabouts remain unknown nearly seven years later.
Security sources disclosed that the DSS recently seized El-Rufai’s passport at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport to prevent him from travelling abroad while investigations continue.
Investigators are reportedly examining social media posts by his sons, Bello and Bashir, in the aftermath of Dadiyata’s disappearance. Sources indicated that the sons may be invited to assist in the probe.
El-Rufai has maintained that he neither knew Dadiyata personally nor had any reason to target him, stating that the lecturer was a critic of the Kano State Government at the time.
Protests in Abuja and Kaduna
Monday’s developments sparked protests in both Abuja and Kaduna.
In Abuja, demonstrators under the Mega National Movement for Good Governance gathered at the EFCC headquarters, demanding a thorough investigation into the alleged N432 billion case. Protesters carried placards reading “Answer the charges, El-Rufai” and “No one is above the law.”
The EFCC reiterated its commitment to due process, affirming that lawful procedures would be followed.
Supporters of the former governor also assembled near the commission, expressing solidarity and insisting on respect for his rights.
In Kaduna, civil society groups stormed the State House of Assembly demanding updates on the legislative probe. Speaker Yusuf Dahiru Leman assured citizens that the House stood by its findings and that anyone found culpable would face the full weight of the law.
A coalition of victims of terror-related incidents during El-Rufai’s tenure, represented by human rights advocate Professor Chidi Odinkalu, also called for accountability and independent investigations.
Opposition and Presidential Reactions
Opposition figures expressed concern over the timing and manner of the charges.
The National Publicity Secretary of the New Nigeria People’s Party, Ladipo Johnson, suggested the developments could be politically charged ahead of the 2027 elections. The Interim National Chairman of the Labour Party, Senator Nenadi Usman, questioned why charges were filed before further clarification from the former governor.
Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu, speaking at the Adamawa State Government House in Yola, publicly praised Ribadu as “honest, bold, courageous and committed,” commending his efforts against terrorism and banditry.
The President’s remarks followed a letter dated January 30, 2026, in which El-Rufai accused the Office of the National Security Adviser of procuring approximately 10 kilogrammes of thallium sulphate from Poland. In a response signed by Brigadier-General O.M. Adesuyi, the Office denied the allegation and referred the matter to the DSS for investigation.
High-Stakes Legal Confrontation
The unfolding developments represent one of the most consequential legal and political confrontations involving a former governor in recent years.
Once a prominent figure within the ruling establishment and an influential voice in national discourse, El-Rufai now faces simultaneous investigations into alleged financial impropriety, cybercrime violations, and a reopened disappearance case.
The convergence of EFCC detention, fresh criminal charges, DSS investigations, and public protests underscores the high stakes.
Whether the cases ultimately result in prosecution grounded in evidence or are deemed politically motivated, as his allies contend, will be determined in court.
For now, the former governor remains in EFCC custody, with his political future hanging in the balance as Nigeria moves closer to another election cycle.
ELIJAH ADEYEMI
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