Fresh controversy erupted on Monday after operatives of the Department of State Services allegedly took former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai into custody shortly after a Federal High Court in Abuja granted him bail in an ongoing case involving allegations of unlawful phone interception and national security breaches. The dramatic development triggered outrage from his family members, political associates, and supporters, who accused security agencies of intimidation and political persecution.
Justice Joyce AbdulMalik of the Federal High Court had earlier granted El-Rufai bail in the sum of N100 million with strict conditions attached. The court ordered that he must provide one surety who is a federal civil servant not below Grade Level 17 and resident in either Maitama or Asokoro in Abuja. The court also directed him to surrender his international passports and report to DSS headquarters every last Friday of the month pending the determination of the case.
However, shortly after the court proceedings, members of El-Rufai’s family claimed that DSS operatives attempted to move him into their custody despite existing court orders reportedly directing that he remain with the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC. His second wife, Hasiat El-Rufai, who spoke emotionally outside the DSS headquarters in Abuja, accused security agencies of subjecting the family to psychological pressure, surveillance, and intimidation. ..READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE .
According to her, El-Rufai resisted attempts to transfer him to DSS custody, insisting that there were subsisting court orders specifying that he should remain with the ICPC. She alleged that the former governor refused to leave the vehicle transporting him and insisted that security officials would have to physically force him into DSS detention if they wanted to proceed.
The former governor has remained at the centre of multiple investigations and legal battles in recent months. Apart from the ongoing national security related charges linked to the alleged interception of the communications of National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu, El-Rufai is also facing scrutiny over alleged financial improprieties connected to his tenure as Kaduna State governor between 2015 and 2023.
El-Rufai’s son, Bello El-Rufai, who currently serves in the House of Representatives, strongly criticised the conditions attached to the bail, arguing that they were deliberately designed to make compliance nearly impossible. He questioned why a civil servant would be expected to provide a N100 million surety and accused authorities of targeting not just his father but also those associated with him politically.
The incident has continued to generate heated reactions across Nigeria’s political space, with several opposition figures and supporters describing the situation as politically motivated. Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar had only days earlier called for El-Rufai’s release, describing his prolonged detention as troubling and inconsistent with democratic principles and the rule of law.
As of the time of filing this report, conflicting accounts remained over El-Rufai’s exact custody status, with some security sources claiming he was eventually returned to the ICPC following discussions between lawyers and security agencies. Neither the DSS nor the ICPC had issued a comprehensive official statement clarifying the circumstances surrounding the alleged re-arrest.
