Operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) have reportedly taken former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, into custody from the headquarters of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Abuja.
Multiple sources said El-Rufai was picked up on Wednesday night after spending days at the EFCC, where he had presented himself following an invitation over alleged financial improprieties during his tenure between 2015 and 2023. Insiders disclosed that investigators made several attempts to obtain a written statement from him, but he allegedly declined to provide one.
The former governor has been under investigation since the Kaduna State House of Assembly indicted his administration in 2024 over the alleged diversion of ₦423 billion and money laundering. He has also been invited by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) in connection with related matters.
Last week, security operatives reportedly attempted to arrest him at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, upon his return from Cairo. El-Rufai later alleged that the arrest move was at the instance of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu. During an interview on Arise Television, he claimed that someone had wiretapped Ribadu’s phone, enabling him to hear conversations allegedly directing his arrest.
On Monday, the DSS filed a three-count charge against El-Rufai over alleged unlawful interception of the NSA’s telephone communications. However, security sources maintain that his transfer from EFCC custody relates to a separate and escalating security matter, distinct from the anti-graft investigation.