By Eric Elezuo
The present predicament of the immediate past governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, has created diverse camps of supportive, non-supportive and completely indifferent reactions.
The former governor, who completed his two terms in office on May 29, 2023, has remained in the news ever since for the wrong reasons. First, falling out with his supposed godson, the incumbent Governor of Kaduna State, Uba Sani, who has accused him of embezzlement of public funds while in office, using the state house of Assembly.
Secondly, he was unceremoniously dropped from the list of favored applicants for ministerial positions after the Senate, in a brazen act, rejected his nomination and failed to confirm him after undergoing ministerial screening. El-Rufai has neither forgiven the Senate nor President Bola Tinubu for allowing that to happen.
El-Rufai, whi was once the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), had consequently turned himself into a vocal critic of the government, offering explanations why the present administration must not be allowed to return to power in 2027.
His most recent outburst of accusing the NSA, Mallam Nuru Ribadu, of orchestrating his arrest on arrival to Nigeria from Egypt, had set the stage for his present predicament. The former governor had in a live interview on Arise Television, claimed to have tapping into the NSA’s communications line, thereby becoming privy to the discussions relating to the order of his arrest. He was therefore, invited to explain the whys and hows of his bugging a high level security line. El-Rufai has not come out of detention ever since. His journey has proceeded from the gaurdroom of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to the Department of State Security (DSS).
From all indications, these are not the best of times for the immediate past Governor. And stakeholders have insisted that it’s only a passionate presidential pardon that could extricate the former FCT minister from all entanglements.
Meanwhile, a cross-section of the newest opposition block, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has insisted that the predicaments and persecutions El-Rufai found himself, and is facing at the moment are orchestrations of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) by President Tinubu just as the ruling party has maintained that the former governor is facing the music of his actions and inaction while in office between 2015 and 2023.
Recall that in August 2023, the Senate set the tone for what awaits El-Rufai in the Tinubu administration, when the group, against all expectations rejected his nomination as a minister, confirming 45 others. He was one of the nine former governors nominated for ministerial positions by the Tinubu administration.
The Senate refused to confirm the nomination of Nasir El-Rufai, as well as two other nominees including Stella Okotete (Delta) and Sani Danladi (Taraba).
The President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, had informed that the three nominees not confirmed would be subjected to further security checks even as he advise them to take their matter to Mr President, stressing that the non-conformation status stemmed from ‘security reasons’.
It must be recalled also that during El-Rufai’s screening on the floor of the Senate, Senator Karimi Sunday from Kogi West Senatorial District raised a “very strong petition” against the ex-Kaduna governor that bothered on insecurity, unity, and national cohesion.
Sunday, who praised El-Rufai’s performance as Kaduna governor and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) some 20 years ago, said, “but I have a very strong petition against you that bothers on security, unity and cohesiveness of the Nigerian nation and I think that petition has to be considered along this screening exercise”.
Much as there was a loud resistance from the Senators against the subject, the Senate President insisted on allowing the Kogi senator’s view to stand, citing reception of other petitions against the former governor.
“Distinguished colleagues, perhaps I should inform you that I have received petitions from many other people in respect of other nominees but this is not where we are to deal with petitions. Our job here is to screen and of course, we can refer petitions to where petitions would be dealt with.
“These are the nominees of Mr President. If it is something that is a formal petition before the Senate, we will look at it formally but there are certain petitions that we have to refer to the Presidency or security agencies to look at and that has nothing to do with us.
“I think by the time we are going with the issue of confirmation and approval, we will so advise. So, I will want to plead with my brother (El-Rufai) to take a bow. So, don’t bother about (addressing the petition). Thank you.”
That was the beginning of the many Travails that trailed, and continued to trail the former Kaduna governor. His case was never revisited. His preferred, and speculated ministerial portfolio, Power, was handed to a legal practitioner, marking the end of the presidential consideration. That was when El-Rufai and Tinubu’s relationship entered the stage of ‘no love lost’
Shortly afterwards in June 2024, the Kaduna State House of Assembly’s ad hoc committee had earlier submitted its investigative report on the El-Rufai administration’s financial dealings, loans, and contracts to the House
The chairman of the ad hoc committee, Henry Zacharia, said the loans secured during El-Rufai’s tenure were largely misused, and in some instances, proper procedures were not followed in obtaining them.
The Assembly Speaker, Yusuf Liman, alleged that El-Rufai’s administration misappropriated N423 billion, resulting in significant financial burdens for the state.
Many Nigerians, though had their misgivings about the 8-years stewardship of El-Rufai, dismissed the charges, claiming it was an aftermath of his altercations with the president. Some assumed it was a witchhunt perpetrated by an administration that has issues with the ex-governor.
In response however, El-Rufai sued the Kaduna State House of Assembly over claims that his administration embezzled N432 billion and left the state with significant debt obligations.
He filed a fundamental rights enforcement case against the Kaduna State House of Assembly at the Federal High Court in Kaduna.
El-Rufai, who appeared in person to file the lawsuit, alleged that the committee denied him a fair hearing, according to a statement by the former governor’s media aide, Muyiwa Adekeye, posted on his X handle.
The lawsuit, filed by El-Rufai’s lawyer, Abdulhakeem Mustapha, contested the Kaduna Assembly Committee’s report, which accused El-Rufai of corruption.
Adekeye wrote, “His lawyer, AU Mustapha SAN, said that El-Rufai approached the court as a Nigerian citizen who is entitled to be given a fair hearing before his rights can be determined by a quasi-judicial or investigative body or courts in line with the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) and the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights.
“El-Rufai also asked the court to declare that by the provisions of Section 36 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, the Report of the Ad-Hoc Committee on Investigation of Loans, Financial Transactions, Contractual Liabilities and Other Related Matters of the Government of Kaduna State from 29 May 2015 to 29 May 2023, as ratified by the Kaduna State House of Assembly, is unconstitutional and therefore null and void for violating his right to fair hearing as guaranteed under the Constitution.”
Though questions as to whether the persecutions and legal attacks on El-Rufai were products of his vituperations on the presidency for canceling his nomination as a minister, the former governor had continued to leverage on any interview to speak of the incompetence of the administration, while attempting to rally Nigerians to vote out the government come 2027. El-Rufai had also joined the now major opposition party towards wrestling power from Tinubu and his APC government.
On February 12, 2026, El-Rufai was accosted by security operatives, who attempted to arrest him upon his arrival from Cairo at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja. His passport was seized in the scuffle that ensued, even as he reportedly declined to accompany operatives without the presentation of a warrant.
To make matters worse, El-Rufai, while appearing on a live interview boasted of intercepting a phone conversation, where the NSA Nuhu Ribadu, had given the order for his arrest on arrival to Nigeria.
El-Rufai had alleged that he and some others listen to the telephone conversations of Mr Ribadu after an individual tapped the NSA’s phone.
He defended the legality of the phone interception, acknowledging that it is technically illegal but claiming, “The government does it all the time. They listen to our calls without a court order. But someone tapped his phone and told us that he gave the order.”
But like the government has been waiting for the slip, they capitalized on the revelation to initiate another round of investigation against the former governor
In His reaction after the interview on Arise TV, Presidential Spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, raised concerns about the implications of the claim for national security.
“El-Rufai has confessed to wire-tapping Nigeria’s NSA on TV. Does it mean that he and his collaborators have wire-tapping facilities?” Onanuga queried.
He added that the issue should not be ignored, stressing the need for accountability.
“This should be thoroughly investigated and punishment meted out. El-Rufai is not too big to face the wrath of the law,” the presidential spokesperson stated.
However, between February 16 and 18, El-Rufai was detained by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over the allegations of misappropriating ₦432 billion during his tenure as governor of Kaduna State.
The government made good its threat as the DSS arrested the former governor, and filed cybercrimes charge before the Federal High Court in Abuja against him over the phone-tapping allegation. The case was filed as FHC/ABJ/CR/99/2026.
The prosecution said he admitted to intercepting the NSA’s communications, failed to report others who conducted unlawful interceptions, and compromised public safety and national security by using technical systems to tap the NSA’s phone.
The alleged acts were said to violate provisions of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) (Amendment) Act, 2024, and the Nigerian Communications Act, 2003. No arraignment date has been fixed, and Mr El-Rufai has not publicly responded to the charges.
But beyond the DSS legal actions, the ICPC has continued to keep El-Rufai in its custody, having arrested him shortly after his release from the EFCC. It was while the former was in custody that the DSS conducted a search in his Abuja home, claiming to find various items used in wire-tapping. They therefore, attempted to lend credence to the wire-tapping allegations leveled against the former governor.
El-Rufai’s immediate family members have however, denied the DSS allegations just as the former proceeded to the courts to get a judgment declaring every finding as may be presented by the DSS as untenable, citing unauthorisation.
But the ICPC has continued to hold on to the former against the law as many respondents have cited.
In its defence, the ICPC attempted to provide a provide a timeline of events, to prove that El-Rufai’s detention followed a court approved process tied to ongoing investigations into alleged financial crimes., according to statement signed by John Okor Odey, the Head, Media and Public Communication at the ICPC.
“The initial remand order was granted, allowing the Commission to detain the suspect for 14 days to investigate allegations of money laundering and abuse of office. Upon the expiration of the initial order, the Commission applied for a 14-day extension to complete its investigations, which the court acceded to on 5th March, 2026.”
It further noted that an earlier attempt by El-Rufai’s counsel to nullify the remand order had already failed.
“Counsel to El-Rufai attempted to set aside the remand order issued on 19th February, 2026, but the application was dismissed on 9th March, 2026.”
The ICPC maintained that the former governor remains in custody in line with legal provisions.
“Mallam El-Rufai remains in the lawful custody of the ICPC under the remand order dated 5th March, 2026. The Commission is strictly following the court mandated timeline, including the requirement for a progress report.”
It emphasised that all actions taken so far align with the law.
“The ICPC conducts its duties with the highest professionalism and respect for the rule of law. The remand of Mr El-Rufai has been authorised by a court of law in accordance with the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015.”
The Commission also reiterated its stance against media interference in legal processes.
“Furthermore, the ICPC remains firm in upholding its longstanding policy of avoiding media trials. We believe that legal disputes should be settled in the courtroom, not on newspaper pages and social media platforms. The Commission’s leadership remains steadfast and undeterred in confronting any and all challenges in the course of the current investigation.”
It urged the public to rely on verified information.
“We urge the public to avoid spreading unverified information and to rely on official updates from the Commission.”
It will still be till end of March before the fate of El-Rufai is known in these fast-paced travails with the government-controlled security agencies.
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