Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, was on Monday night detained at the headquarters of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Abuja following hours of interrogation over an alleged N432 billion corruption probe.
El-Rufai, now a prominent figure in the African Democratic Congress, is also reportedly facing potential criminal prosecution over allegations of illegally bugging the phone of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.
Top sources within the anti-graft agency disclosed that the former governor arrived at the commission’s Jabi headquarters around 10 a.m. in response to an official invitation. He was subsequently grilled 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 substantial debt.
A senior EFCC official, speaking on condition of anonymity, stated that investigations into El-Rufai had been ongoing for nearly a year.
“As a commission, we do not act hastily. Suspects are usually invited only after investigations have reached an advanced stage. The allegations raised by the Kaduna State Assembly are serious, and we have been thoroughly examining them,” the source said.
When asked late Monday whether El-Rufai would be released, the official responded tersely, “He remains in our custody and will not be released today.”
The EFCC’s spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, confirmed that the former governor honored the commission’s invitation but declined to provide further details regarding the interrogation or subsequent steps.
The detention represents a significant escalation in the mounting legal challenges confronting the outspoken former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory. His recent public criticisms of the Federal Government and security agencies have already heightened political tensions, and this latest development is likely to further intensify the national discourse.
Alleged N423bn Misappropriation
The EFCC’s interrogation is anchored on the findings of an ad hoc committee constituted in 2024 by the Kaduna State House of Assembly to review the state’s finances, loans, and contracts awarded between 2015 and 2023 under El-Rufai’s administration.
While presenting the committee’s report during plenary, the chairman, Henry Zacharia, alleged that a substantial portion of the loans secured during the eight-year administration was not utilized for their intended purposes.
The Speaker of the House, Yusuf Dahiru Leman, further claimed that approximately N423 billion was siphoned under the former governor’s leadership, leaving Kaduna State burdened with heavy financial obligations and a rising debt profile.
The committee recommended the investigation and prosecution of El-Rufai and several former cabinet members over alleged abuse of office, contract irregularities, diversion of public funds, money laundering, and reckless borrowing.
Subsequently, the Assembly endorsed a formal petition to both the EFCC and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, urging the agencies to pursue a full-scale investigation and appropriate legal action.
