The legal situation of former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, took a dramatic turn yesterday as a Federal Permanent Secretary reportedly withdrew from a bail arrangement, citing threats to his safety. This development comes as the Department of State Services (DSS) filed a fresh three-count criminal charge against the former governor at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
El-Rufai has remained in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for three days over allegations of misappropriating ₦433 billion during his tenure. While the EFCC had initially granted administrative bail on the condition that a Permanent Secretary and a Director stand as sureties, the process collapsed when the high-ranking official backed out after allegedly being intimidated.
The collapse of the bail process has left the former governor’s legal team in a race against time. El-Rufai was scheduled to appear before the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) today for separate questioning, but his continued detention by the EFCC has made his attendance uncertain.
Compounding his legal woes, the DSS filed suit FHC/CR/99/2026, alleging that El-Rufai unlawfully intercepted the phone communications of National Security Adviser (NSA) Nuhu Ribadu. The charges are reportedly based on admissions the former governor made during a televised interview on Arise TV on February 13, 2026.
According to the charge sheet, El-Rufai faces counts under the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Amendment Act, 2024, and the Nigerian Communications Act, 2003. Prosecutors allege he used technical equipment to compromise national security. The defense team has formally notified the ICPC of his inability to attend their interrogation due to the ongoing standoff between the various security agencies.
