The Department of State Service (DSS) on Wednesday night arrested former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai as soon as he was released by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
El-Rufai has been detained by the EFCC over corruption allegations since Monday.
It was gathered that the former governor was granted bail at about 8 pm on Wednesday but was immediately picked up by DSS operatives who laid an ambush for him at the premises of the EFCC headquarters.
El-Rufai’s arrest by the DSS is linked to allegations that he unlawfully intercepted the phone communications of Nigeria’s National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu.
On Monday, the DSS charged him with cybercrimes before the Federal High Court in Abuja over the phone-tapping allegation.
The case, filed as FHC/ABJ/CR/99/2026, followed the former governor’s remarks during an interview with Arise TV last week.
He claimed that the NSA’s phone was tapped and that he heard the NSA directing security operatives to detain him.
El-Rufai alleged that the directive prompted an attempted arrest at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on Thursday, where he exchanged heated words with security personnel. Witnesses said officials briefly confiscated his international passport before escorting him out amid chants from supporters.
In response to the interview, DSS prosecutors filed cybercrime charges against Mr El-Rufai on Monday.
The prosecution said he admitted to intercepting the NSA’s communications, failed to report others who conducted unlawful interceptions, and compromised public safety and national security by using technical systems to tap the NSA’s phone.
The alleged acts were said to violate provisions of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) (Amendment) Act, 2024, and the Nigerian Communications Act, 2003. No arraignment date has been fixed, and Mr El-Rufai has not publicly responded to the charges.
