DSS Detains Former Kaduna Governor Nasir el-Rufai After EFCC Release
In a significant development on Wednesday night, operatives from the Department of State Services (DSS) detained former Kaduna State Governor Nasir el-Rufai immediately following his release from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
El-Rufai, who had spent two nights at the EFCC headquarters in Abuja, was reportedly seized by the secret police around 8:00 PM. Sources familiar with the matter indicated that, although the EFCC had granted him bail, DSS operatives were already present at the scene to facilitate his transfer to their facility.
The former governor’s interactions with the anti-graft agency were characterized by a refusal to cooperate. Insiders revealed that, despite multiple efforts by EFCC officials to obtain a written statement regarding the alleged diversion of N423 billion in public funds, el-Rufai consistently declined to provide one.
Regarding the investigation, while the EFCC’s focus is on financial crimes committed during his eight-year tenure, the DSS’s move appears linked to a three-count cybercrime charge. The secret police are examining allegations that el-Rufai was involved in unlawfully intercepting telephone communications of the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu.
This sequence of events has prompted widespread criticism across Nigeria, with many citizens questioning the timing and motives behind the probes. On social media and within public discourse, some have described the actions as “political persecution.” In contrast, others have expressed skepticism about the years that had elapsed before initiating such high-profile investigations.
As of this report, neither the DSS nor the EFCC has issued an official statement concerning the conditions of el-Rufai’s current detention.
