Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
Former Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, was quizzed on Wednesday night by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS).
His arrest came shortly after his release by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), where he had been detained since Monday over alleged corruption-related offences.
El-Rufai was reportedly granted bail at about 8 p.m. on Wednesday. However, witnesses said he was immediately taken into custody by DSS operatives who had laid in wait at the EFCC headquarters.
The former governor’s latest arrest is linked to allegations that he unlawfully intercepted the phone communications of Nigeria’s National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu.
On Monday, the DSS filed charges under the Cybercrimes Act before the Federal High Court, accusing El-Rufai of cyber-related offences arising from the alleged phone-tapping incident. The suit was filed as FHC/ABJ/CR/99/2026.
The charges followed remarks attributed to El-Rufai during a live interview on Arise TV on Friday, in which he claimed that the NSA’s phone had been tapped, enabling him to overhear instructions allegedly directing security operatives to detain him.
He further alleged that the directive led to an attempted arrest last Thursday at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport shortly after his return from Cairo, Egypt.
According to eyewitnesses, he exchanged heated words with security personnel during the incident, while his international passport was briefly confiscated before he was escorted out amid chants from supporters.
In the charge sheet, DSS prosecutors alleged that El-Rufai admitted to intercepting the NSA’s communications, failed to report other individuals involved in unlawful interceptions, and compromised public safety and national security by deploying technical systems to tap the NSA’s phone.
The alleged offences were said to contravene provisions of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) (Amendment) Act, 2024, and the Nigerian Communications Act, 2003.
As of press time, no arraignment date had been fixed, and El-Rufai had not publicly reacted to the charges.
The developments followed El-Rufai’s recent return to the country, which triggered a series of rapid security actions beginning with the foiled arrest attempt at the Abuja airport.
El-Rufai’s lawyer, Ubong Akpan, condemned the attempted arrest, describing it as arbitrary and a violation of his client’s constitutional rights.
He also faulted the EFCC for serving an invitation on El-Rufai while he was abroad, noting that his client had formally communicated with the commission to secure voluntary attendance upon his return, scheduled for 10 a.m. on Monday.
