Nasir El-Rufai ICPC arrest follows EFCC bail as former Kaduna governor faces investigation over alleged NSA communication breach
Nasir El-Rufai was taken into custody by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) on Wednesday evening, February 18, shortly after being granted bail by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
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The arrest, confirmed by ICPC spokesperson Okor Odey, followed a brief detention by the Department of State Services (DSS), which reportedly acted after El-Rufai was freed from EFCC custody.
El-Rufai, who served as governor of Kaduna State from 2015 to 2023 and is a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), is under investigation for alleged corruption and related offences.
According to DSS filings, the former governor admitted during a February 13 live interview on Arise TV that he and associates had intercepted the private communications of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.
The federal government claims the act breached Nigeria’s cybercrime and communications laws, posing risks to public safety and national security.
El-Rufai had voluntarily reported to the EFCC on February 16 for questioning.
His initial arrest attempt on February 12 at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, was resisted by the former governor.
Media adviser Muyiwa Adekeye confirmed the sequence of events, tweeting that El-Rufai remained in ICPC custody as of Thursday morning, February 19.
Sources within the opposition indicated that El-Rufai will not contest any elective position in 2027, focusing instead on mobilising against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s second-term agenda.
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The development has drawn criticism from opposition figures, who allege that El-Rufai is being unfairly targeted for his stance against the ruling government.
