EFCC Grills El-Rufai For Hours As Federal Gov’t Files Criminal Charges Against Ex-Gov

| Charges linked to alleged tapping of Nuhu Ribadu’s phone
| DSS reopens 2019 Dadiyata disappearance case

By Jonathan Nda-Isaiah, Ejike Ejike, Henry Tyohemba, Nonye Ekwenugo

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday quizzed former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai over alleged corruption during his tenure.

El-Rufai arrived at the EFCC headquarters in Abuja yesterday amid heightened security, as operatives restricted members of the former governor’s entourage from gaining access to the building.

Supporters of El-Rufai gathered at a nearby junction, chanting slogans and displaying placards bearing inscriptions such as “El-Rufai is a citizen, not a subject” and “We stand with El-Rufai. We stand for law.” The former governor, now a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), had earlier travelled abroad on November 30, 2025. The EFCC delivered a letter of invitation to El-Rufai’s residence in December, prompting speculation over a possible arrest upon his return.

There was a standoff at the airport as security operatives tried to arrest him on arrival in the country. He, however, managed to avoid arrest but notified the anti-graft agency of his intention to appear at its office by 10 a.m. on Monday. Investigations by the EFCC and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) are said to be ongoing, including a probe reportedly initiated by his successor, Uba Sani, into financial dealings during El-Rufai’s administration. El-Rufai has denied any wrongdoing, describing the investigation as politically motivated.

He has also intensified criticism of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), maintaining that he was never politically aligned with the president.

At the time this report was filed, the former governor was still being held at the EFCC headquarters.

FG Files Charges Against El-Rufai Over Alleged Tapping Of Ribadu’s Phone

The federal government has filed  criminal charges against former Kaduna State governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai.

The charges, marked C2/99/2026 and dated February 16, 2026, have the Federal Republic of Nigeria as the sole complainant.

The government said on February 13, 2026, while appearing as a guest on Arise TV’s Prime Time programme in Abuja, El-Rufai admitted that he and others unlawfully intercepted the phone communications of the national security adviser (NSA), Malam Nuhu Ribadu.

In count one, the government declared that the admission amounts to an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 12(1) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Amendment Act, 2024.

Count two asserted that El-Rufai stated during the same interview that he knew and related with individuals who unlawfully intercepted Ribadu’s phone communications but failed to report them to relevant security agencies, contrary to Section 27(b) of the Cybercrimes Amendment Act, 2024.

The third count also claimed that El-Rufai and others still at large, sometime in 2026 in Abuja, used technical equipment or systems to unlawfully intercept the national security adviser’s phone communications, an act said to have compromised public safety and national security, contrary to Section 131(2) of the Nigerian Communications Act, 2003.

DSS Reopens 2019 Dadiyata Disappearance Investigation

In a related development, the Department of State Services (DSS) has reopened the case of the 2019 disappearance in Kaduna of a renowned government critic, Abubakar Idris, better known as Dadiyata, and several other cases of missing persons linked to El-Rufai.

A top security source who disclosed this also revealed that last Thursday’s seizure of the former governor’s passport by DSS officers at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, was to stop him from fleeing to Egypt after briefly visiting Nigeria.

According to the source, “El-Rufai is fully aware that the DSS is investigating him over Dadiyata’s kidnap. So, he planned to visit the EFCC on Monday and the ICPC on Tuesday. Thereafter, he would fly back to Cairo. Seizing his passport has shattered his plans.”

The security source further stated that the reopening of Dadiyata’s kidnap case followed months of intense investigations. The leads, he said, suggested that El-Rufai, who was Kaduna State governor at the time of Dadiyata’s disappearance, masterminded the kidnap.

A lecturer in the Department of English and Linguistics at the Federal University Dutsinma, Katsina State, Dadiyata was declared missing on August 1, 2019, by his wife after gunmen abducted him from his Kaduna home. His whereabouts have remained unknown since then.

LEADERSHIP recalls that while speaking on ARISE Television last Friday, El-Rufai, who was governor between 2015 and 2023, disclosed that he was privy to a confession allegedly made by a remorseful policeman who claimed he was part of a team sent from Kano to abduct Dadiyata.

“Three years after he was abducted, a policeman who was posted from Kano to Ekiti State confessed to someone that they were sent from Kano to abduct Dadiyata and that the officer was worried about that. That is all I know,” El-Rufai stated.

Reminded by the television anchor that Dadiyata was believed to be his critic, El-Rufai responded that he was not “aware of the existence” of the missing lecturer.

If anything, he stressed, the missing lecturer was known to be a follower of the Kwankwasiyya Movement and, therefore, a political opponent of the then Kano State governor, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje.

“It was Ganduje that was his (Dadiyata’s) problem. I didn’t even know him. If anybody is to be asked about the disappearance of Dadiyata, it is the Kano State Government; it has nothing to do with the Kaduna State Government. We didn’t even know he existed,” El-Rufai stated.

The security source described El-Rufai’s allegation that a certain police officer had made such a damning confession and kept silent about it as unbelievable.

“He is fully aware that the DSS is investigating him and his two sons over Dadiyata’s kidnap. That was why he rushed to ARISE Television to cook up stories about Ganduje and the confessions of a ghost police officer, all in a bid to divert attention.

“He is aware of the security implications of seizing his passport. He knows he cannot officially leave the country, which is very bad for him.”

Several laws place a responsibility on citizens to assist with crime reporting and prevention. Section 123 of the Criminal Code Act prohibits the wilful destruction or concealment of evidence, while the Criminal Code Act and the Penal Code, applicable in Kaduna State, address covering up treason, destroying evidence, or aiding suspects.

Protesters Besiege EFCC, Call for Accountability in El-Rufai Trial

A group, Members of the Mega National Movement for Good Governance (MNMGG), staged a peaceful protest at the EFCC headquarters in Abuja, calling for due process and accountability in the ongoing prosecution of El-Rufai.

The protesters converged on the anti-graft agency’s office in the Federal Capital Territory yesterday.

The spokesperson for MNMGG, Comrade Muhammad Abdullahi, who addressed the press, said the movement remained committed to promoting transparency, integrity, and responsible leadership across the country.

Abdullahi stated that the prosecution of El-Rufai was a lawful and constitutional matter strictly between the former governor and the Kaduna State Government, urging the public not to politicise the issue.

“This issue must not be reduced to political drama or emotional manipulation. It is a question of accountability and stewardship of public trust,” he said.

He referenced the Kaduna State House of Assembly Ad-Hoc Committee Report (2024), which allegedly raised concerns regarding financial mismanagement, the state’s public debt profile, and contract procedures under the previous administration. According to him, the findings were publicly documented and reported by reputable media platforms.

He also noted that some former appointees and close allies of the ex-governor, including Jafaru Sani, Jimmy Lawal, Bashir Saidu, and Samuel Aruwa, were already in custody or undergoing investigation in connection with the allegations.

Citing Section 15(5) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which mandates the state to abolish corrupt practices and abuse of office, the group called on the EFCC and the ICPC to continue their investigations diligently and transparently in line with constitutional provisions and the rule of law.

“If those who served in that administration are subjecting themselves to due process, it is only proper that the former governor does the same without politicising the process.

“We emphasise that this is not about persecution; it is about prosecution grounded in law. The courtroom remains the proper venue for vindication. If Malam Nasir El-Rufai is confident in his integrity, then he should allow the judicial process to run its full course. Let integrity, not rhetoric, determine the outcome,” Abdullahi added.

Responding on behalf of EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede, the Commission’s spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, assured the protesters that their petition and demands would be communicated appropriately.

“Your protest and the demands you have presented will be duly communicated to the Executive Chairman. I want to assure you that the EFCC will carry out its responsibilities professionally.

“We will carefully attend to all the issues you have raised in your letter. I also encourage you to remain peaceful in exercising your constitutional rights, because that is what democracy is all about.”

Protests Erupt at Kaduna Assembly as Coalition Demands El-Rufai Probe Update

A protest erupted at the Kaduna State House of Assembly on Monday as members of the Northern Stakeholders Consultative Initiative and the Coalition of Kaduna Stakeholders Forum demanded updates on the probe of El-Rufai.

Responding, the Speaker of the House, Hon. Yusuf Liman, said the Assembly had, on June 5, 2024, constituted a committee to carry out a fact-finding exercise on allegations concerning the previous administration.

Liman stated that the committee completed its assignment and submitted its documented findings to the appropriate authorities, explaining that the Assembly’s constitutional responsibility is limited to lawmaking and oversight, not prosecution.

He maintained that the legislature stands by its findings and remains committed to performing its duties without fear or intimidation.

The protest ended peacefully after the letter was received.

El-Rufai Playing Victim to Escape Corruption Probe — Presidency

Meanwhile, the presidency has accused El-Rufai of portraying himself as a victim of political persecution to avoid accountability for corruption allegations in Kaduna State.

Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, made the accusation in a statement posted on his X handle on Monday, describing El-Rufai’s recent public outbursts as calculated.

El-Rufai is currently facing a N432 billion corruption probe after all 28 members of the Kaduna State House of Assembly unanimously endorsed a petition to the ICPC and the EFCC.

Onanuga’s statement aligns with an earlier remark by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media, Temitope Ajayi, who accused El-Rufai of acting like “a drowning man holding on to a straw” to stay politically afloat.