How armed operatives rearrested El-Rufai moments after EFCC release

Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, was on Wednesday night rearrested by armed operatives shortly after he was granted bail by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

El-Rufai had been in EFCC custody since Monday over corruption allegations linked to his tenure in Kaduna State.

The anti-graft agency approved his bail at about 8 p.m.

However, Premium Times reported that armed operatives who had stationed themselves around the EFCC headquarters immediately moved in and took him into custody moments after his release.

According to the newspaper, it was unclear which agency carried out the arrest.

While some sources identified the operatives as officials of the State Security Service (SSS), others reportedly said they were from the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), which is also said to be investigating the former governor.

The development comes days after the DSS filed cybercrime charges against El-Rufai before the Federal High Court, Abuja, over alleged unlawful interception of communications involving the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.

The charge, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/99/2026, followed remarks El-Rufai made during a live interview on Arise Television, where he claimed the NSA’s phone was tapped and that he heard instructions directing security operatives to detain him.

He 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.