Former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai has spent a second night in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Abuja.
Mr. El-Rufai has been with the commission since Monday, when he honoured an invitation for questioning over allegations of corruption linked to his tenure from 2015 to 2023.
A source at the EFCC told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday night that the former governor would remain with investigators.
“As I am talking to you now the former governor is still with our interrogators and he will be spending the night with them,” the source said.
The source added that the commission would handle the investigation diligently and professionally, noting that the duration of his stay would depend on the progress of the investigation.
Another EFCC official said the commission was considering obtaining a remand order after the expiration of the 48 hours allowed by law to enable investigators conclude questioning.
“Forget the speculations being peddled on social media that he has been released. He has not. El-Rufai is still with us and will be spending another night in custody,” the source said, adding that investigators needed time to address issues arising from his eight years in office.
El-Rufai arrived at the EFCC headquarters in Abuja around 10 a.m. on Monday.
The interrogation is linked to a report by an ad hoc committee of the Kaduna State House of Assembly set up in 2024 to examine finances, loans and contracts awarded between 2015 and 2023.
The committee, chaired by Henry Zacharia, alleged that several loans obtained during the period were not used for their intended purposes.
Speaker Yusuf Leman said that N423 billion was allegedly siphoned under the former governor’s administration.
The committee recommended the investigation and prosecution of El-Rufai and some former cabinet members over alleged abuse of office, diversion of public funds, money laundering, contract awards without due process and borrowing.
Petitions were subsequently forwarded to the EFCC and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
An EFCC source said the commission had been investigating the matter for about a year and that suspects are usually invited after investigations reach an advanced stage.
El-Rufai has denied the allegations, stating that loans obtained during his tenure were appropriated and used for infrastructure, education, healthcare and security.
His counsel, A.U. Mustapha, confirmed that the former governor remained in EFCC custody and said he had cooperated with investigators.
“Well, as a responsible citizen, he was invited and, true to his word, he honoured the invitation,” Mustapha said.
“As we speak, he is still with the EFCC. He is cooperating to the best of his capacity, and we hope that the EFCC will admit him to bail because he is presumed innocent.”
Mustapha declined to comment on the specific allegations, saying that would be for the EFCC to address.
El-Rufai’s media aide, Muyiwa Adekeye, had earlier confirmed the detention, stating that the former governor honoured the invitation and engaged with officials before remaining with the commission.
The detention follows events at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja last Thursday, shortly after El-Rufai returned from Cairo, Egypt.
Security operatives attempted to arrest him and his passport was confiscated during the encounter.
El-Rufai later alleged that the attempted arrest 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 February 13, he claimed he heard instructions to detain him.
On Monday, the Department of State Services filed cybercrime charges against him at the Federal High Court in Abuja over alleged unlawful interception of the phone communications of Ribadu.
The three-count charge, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/99/2026, was filed under the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Amendment Act, 2024 and the Nigerian Communications Act, 2003.
The prosecution alleged that during the same interview, El-Rufai admitted to intercepting the NSA’s communications, along with others.
He is yet to be arraigned.
El-Rufai, who supported President Bola Tinubu’s emergence as the All Progressives Congress presidential candidate in 2023, later parted ways politically with the president after a ministerial nomination did not materialise.
He has since joined the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and has pledged to work with others ahead of the 2027 election.
