EXCLUSIVE: El-Rufai Remains In EFCC Custody As Permanent Secretary Who Offered To Stand Surety Backs Out Amid Threat Claims

El-Rufai is under investigation for allegedly misappropriating more than ₦433 billion while serving as governor of Kaduna State.

Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El‑Rufai, has remained in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for a third consecutive day over allegations of large-scale corruption and embezzlement during his eight-year tenure.

El-Rufai is under investigation for allegedly misappropriating more than ₦433 billion while serving as governor of Kaduna State.

Sources familiar with the matter said the EFCC initially granted him administrative bail on the condition that a Permanent Secretary and a Director in a Federal Ministry stand as sureties. However, when the Permanent Secretary reportedly arrived at the commission’s office to complete the bail formalities, the agency allegedly hesitated and later declined to proceed with the arrangement.

It was further learned that the Permanent Secretary subsequently withdrew from the bail process after allegedly receiving threats, raising concerns about possible intimidation and interference in the case.

El-Rufai is also scheduled to appear today (Wednesday) before the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) for questioning over separate corruption allegations.

However, it remains uncertain whether he will be able to honour the ICPC invitation due to his continued detention by the EFCC.

Meanwhile, his legal team has reportedly written to the ICPC to formally notify the commission of the circumstances preventing their client from attending the scheduled interrogation

Meanwhile, the Department of State Services (DSS) has also filed charges against the former Kaduna governor.

The DSS filed charges against El-Rufai at the Federal High Court in Abuja, over allegations that he unlawfully intercepted the phone communications of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.

Court documents indicate that the charges, marked FHC/CR/99/2026, were filed in the name of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as complainant, with El-Rufai, 65, listed as the sole defendant.

The charge sheet is dated February 16, 2026.

According to the documents, the prosecution alleges that El-Rufai made incriminating admissions during a televised interview on February 13, 2026, while appearing as a guest on Arise TV’s Prime Time programme in Abuja.

Count One alleges that the former governor admitted to unlawfully intercepting the phone communications of the NSA, an act said to be contrary to and punishable under Section 12(1) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Amendment Act, 2024.

In Count Two, prosecutors allege that El-Rufai acknowledged knowing and relating with individuals who allegedly intercepted the NSA’s communications, but failed to report them to relevant security agencies, an offence cited under Section 27(b) of the same Act.

While count three further accuses El-Rufai and “others still at large” of using technical systems that allegedly compromised public safety and national security by unlawfully intercepting the NSA’s phone communications, contrary to Section 131(2) of the Nigerian Communications Act, 2003.

The charge sheet lists Ernest O.M., Owan O.M., U.M. Bulla, C.S. Eze (PhD), and E.G. Orubor as counsel for the prosecution, acting on behalf of the Department of State Services.

The charges are as follows: “Count one: That you, Mallam Nasir El Rufai, adult, male, on 13th February, 2026, while appearing as a guest on Arise TV Station's Prime Time Programme in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this court, did admit during the interview that you and your cohorts unlawfully intercepted the Phone Communications of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 12 (1) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Amendment, Act, 2024.

"Count two: That you, Mallam Nasir El Rufai, adult, male, on 13th February, 2026, while appearing as a guest on Arise TV Station's Prime Time Programme in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this court, did state during the interview that you know and relate with certain individual, who unlawfully intercepted the Phone Communications of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, without reporting the said individual to relevant Security agencies and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 27 (b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Amendment, Act, 2024.

"Count three: That you, Mallam Nasir El Rufai, adult, male, and other still at large, sometime in 2026, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this court, with others still at large did use technical equipment or systems which compromised public safety, national security and instilling reasonable apprehension of insecurity among Nigerians by unlawfully intercepting the Phone Communications of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, to which you admitted during an interview on 13th February, 2026, on Arise TV Station's Prime Time Programme in Abuja and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 131 (2) Nigerian Communications Act 2003."