Nigeria: EFCC grills former Kaduna governor El‑Rufai over alleged N432bn fraud
By Zuleihat Owuiye, Mamos Nigeria
ABUJA, Feb 17, 2026 – Former Kaduna State governor Mallam Nasir El‑Rufai spent Tuesday at the headquarters of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Abuja, where investigators questioned him over alleged financial misconduct involving about N432 billion in state loans. An EFCC source said it was unclear how long the session would last, noting only that “he is with our investigators.”
The probe stems from a Kaduna State House of Assembly ad‑hoc committee report that accused El‑Rufai’s administration of mismanaging or misapplying large loan facilities. El‑Rufai has denied any wrongdoing, describing the allegations as “politically motivated.”
Simultaneously, the Federal Government filed a three‑count charge against the former governor at the Federal High Court in Abuja. Prosecutors from the Department of State Services (DSS) allege that on 13 February 2026, during an appearance on Arise TV’s Prime Time programme, El‑Rufai admitted to having “aligned with others and unlawfully intercepted” the phone communications of National Security Adviser (NSA) Nuhu Ribadu. The charge cites violations of Section 12(1) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) (Amendment) Act 2024, Section 27(b) of the same Act for failing to report the crime, and Section 131(2) of the Nigerian Communications Act 2003 for using technical equipment that compromised national security.
No arraignment date has been set. El‑Rufai previously claimed that DSS operatives attempted to “abduct” him at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport on 12 February and that the NSA had directed the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to detain him, a claim he says was based on information from a third‑party listener to Ribadu’s calls.
While El‑Rufai was being questioned, a crowd of supporters and opponents gathered outside the EFCC office in Jabi. Operatives fired teargas to disperse the crowd, and the fumes drifted into the nearby Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Jabi. Pregnant women, children, and other patients reported difficulty breathing, eye irritation, and coughing. Eyewitnesses described chaotic scenes as patients scrambled for air, with some covering their faces with masks and cloth. No official statement from the EFCC has been released regarding the teargas use.
Opposition figure and former presidential spokesman Umar Sani said El‑Rufai’s actions are “deliberate and calculated, designed to drag the government out of its comfort zone and force it into open confrontation,” adding that the former governor has become “a one‑man riot squad and, unmistakably, the face of the opposition.”
The case continues to attract national attention as investigators, prosecutors, and political actors await further developments.
