- Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai was re – arrested by operatives of the Department of State Security, DSS as he was released by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday night.
Recalls that El-Rufai was detained by the EFCC over corruption allegations since Monday.
He was granted bail at about 8 pm on Wednesday but was immediately picked up by operatives of the SSS who laid an ambush for him at the premises of the EFCC headquarters, witnesses said.
The arrest by the SSS is linked to allegations that he unlawfully intercepted the phone communications of Nigeria’s National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu.
On Monday, the SSS charged him with cybercrimes before the Federal High Court in Abuja over the phone-tapping allegation.
The case, filed as FHC/ABJ/CR/99/2026, followed Mr El-Rufai’s remarks during a live Arise TV interview on Friday.
He claimed that the NSA’s phone was tapped and that he heard the NSA directing security operatives to detain him.
He alleged that the directive prompted an attempted arrest at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on Thursday, where he exchanged heated words with security personnel. Witnesses said officials briefly confiscated his international passport before escorting him out amid chants from supporters.
In response to the interview, SSS prosecutors filed cybercrime charges against El-Rufai on Monday.
The prosecution said he admitted to intercepting the NSA’s communications, failed to report others who conducted unlawful interceptions, and compromised public safety and national security by using technical systems to tap the NSA’s phone.
The alleged acts were said to violate provisions of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) (Amendment) Act, 2024, and the Nigerian Communications Act, 2003. No arraignment date has been fixed, and Mr El-Rufai has not publicly responded to the charges.
El-Rufai’s arrest came amid fast-paced developments following his recent return to the country from Cairo, Egypt.
It started last Thursday when security operatives attempted to arrest him at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, shortly after he arrived from Cairo, Egypt.
Videos circulating online showed a brief confrontation between security personnel and the former governor’s entourage. His international passport was reportedly confiscated during the encounter.
Mr El-Rufai later alleged that the arrest attempt was carried out at the instruction of the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, through the State Security Service (SSS).
Speaking on Arise Television’s Prime Time programme on Friday, he claimed that the NSA’s phone was allegedly tapped, allowing him to hear instructions to detain him.
El-Rufai’s lawyer, Ubong Akpan, condemned the attempted arrest, describing it as arbitrary and in violation of constitutional rights.
According to him, the EFCC invitation was delivered to Mr El-Rufai’s residence while he was abroad, making immediate compliance impractical.
