DSS Takes Custody Of Nasir El-Rufai From Economic And Financial Crimes Commission Over Separate Security Probe

Operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) have taken former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir el-Rufai, into custody, marking a dramatic escalation in the legal and security challenges facing the outspoken politician.
El-Rufai was reportedly picked up Wednesday night from the headquarters of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Abuja, where he had spent two nights undergoing questioning over alleged financial improprieties during his tenure as governor between 2015 and 2023.
Sources familiar with the development disclosed that investigators at the anti-graft agency made repeated attempts to obtain a written statement from the former governor, but he declined to provide one throughout his stay.
The former governor had presented himself at the EFCC headquarters on Monday following an invitation tied to allegations of financial misconduct. In 2024, the Kaduna State House of Assembly indicted el-Rufai over the alleged diversion of ?423 billion in public funds and money laundering, urging relevant agencies to investigate him.
He has also been invited for questioning by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
However, security sources insist the DSS action is unrelated to the EFCC probe. According to insiders, the former governor is being held over what was described as an “escalating security matter.”
“He has a case to answer regarding a serious security issue,” a senior official was quoted as saying. “This is not connected to the EFCC investigation. It is a separate matter entirely.”
The latest development comes days after security operatives reportedly attempted to arrest el-Rufai at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja upon his return from Cairo, Egypt. The former governor subsequently alleged that the ICPC had directed the DSS to arrest him on the instruction of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.
Speaking during an appearance on ARISE Television’s Prime Time programme last Saturday, el-Rufai claimed that “someone wiretapped” Ribadu’s phone, enabling him to overhear directives allegedly ordering his arrest.
On Monday, the DSS filed a three-count charge against the former governor, accusing him of unlawfully intercepting the National Security Adviser’s telephone conversation.
The unfolding developments underscore mounting legal pressure on the former Kaduna governor, as multiple federal agencies pursue separate lines of inquiry. While the full scope of the DSS investigation remains unclear, the case signals a widening security and legal storm around one of Nigeria’s most controversial political figures.