Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai was on Wednesday night rearrested by the Department of State Services (DSS) shortly after regaining freedom from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
El-Rufai, who had been detained by the EFCC since Monday over corruption allegations, was granted bail at about 8 p.m. on Wednesday. However, witnesses said operatives of the DSS were waiting at the premises of the EFCC headquarters and immediately took him into custody.
According to sources, the DSS arrest is connected to allegations that the former governor unlawfully intercepted the phone communications of Nigeria’s National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu.
Cybercrime Charges Filed
On Monday, the DSS filed cybercrime charges against El-Rufai before the Federal High Court in Abuja over the alleged phone-tapping incident.
The case, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/99/2026, stems from comments the former governor made during a live interview on Arise TV on Friday.
During the interview, El-Rufai claimed that the NSA’s phone had been tapped and that he overheard the NSA directing security operatives to detain him.
He further alleged that the directive led to an attempted arrest at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja on Thursday. Witnesses said the situation escalated into a heated exchange between El-Rufai and security personnel, who reportedly confiscated his international passport briefly before escorting him out of the airport amid chants from supporters.
Allegations of Unlawful Interception
In response to the televised remarks, DSS prosecutors accused El-Rufai of cybercrime offences, alleging that he admitted to intercepting the NSA’s communications.
The prosecution further claimed that he failed to report others involved in unlawful interceptions and that he compromised public safety and national security by using technical systems to tap the NSA’s phone.
The alleged offences are said to contravene provisions of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) (Amendment) Act, 2024, and the Nigerian Communications Act, 2003.
No date has been fixed for his arraignment, and El-Rufai has not publicly responded to the latest charges.
The dramatic sequence of events — from EFCC detention to immediate DSS rearrest — adds a new dimension to the unfolding legal and political battle involving the former governor.
