El-Rufai Re-arrested by DSS After Being Freed from EFCC Custody 

By 𝔸bdulrazak Tomiwa

The Department of State Services (DSS) has arrested the former governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai.

The arrest occurred on Wednesday night, moments after he was released on bail by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

El-Rufai had been in EFCC custody since Monday, where he was being questioned over allegations of corruption related to his tenure as governor. He was granted bail at approximately 8 p.m., but he was unable to leave the premises freely.

Operatives of the DSS were reportedly lying in wait at the EFCC headquarters. As soon as the former governor completed his bail formalities and stepped out, he was immediately intercepted and taken into custody by the secret police.

This latest arrest is reportedly linked to allegations involving national security. Sources indicate that the DSS is investigating claims that El-Rufai unlawfully intercepted the phone communications of the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu.

The former governor, who is now a prominent figure in the African Democratic Congress (ADC), recently accused Ribadu of orchestrating an earlier attempt to arrest him at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja.

Before his detention by the EFCC, El-Rufai had arrived at the anti-graft agency’s headquarters accompanied by hundreds of supporters. His legal team is expected to challenge this secondary arrest, describing the timing as a coordinated effort to keep him in detention.

The situation has sparked significant tension among his supporters and within the political landscape. As of Thursday morning, neither the DSS nor the NSA’s office has released an official statement regarding the specific charges or the duration of his new detention.