By Abiola Olawale
Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has spent his second consecutive night in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
It was gathered that the politician remains under interrogation at the anti-graft agency’s Jabi headquarters following a massive N432 billion corruption probe.
As the clock ticks on his detention, El-Rufai’s legal team has intensified efforts to secure his release, officially initiating a bail application on Wednesday morning.
The New Diplomat had reported that EFCC’s investigation stemmed from a 2024 report by the Kaduna State House of Assembly.
The legislative ad-hoc committee accused the El-Rufai administration (2015–2023) of misappropriation of loans, contractual irregularities, and suspicious financial flows involving key cabinet members.
Recall also that the former governor arrived at the EFCC headquarters in Abuja on Monday around 10 a.m. for questioning in connection with an alleged N432bn corruption probe.
Since then, he has been detained at the commission, where investigators continued to grill him.
An official of the commission who pleaded anonymity said the anti-graft agency was considering obtaining a remand order after the expiration of the hours allowed by law to enable investigators conclude questioning him.
“Forget the speculations being peddled on social media that he has been released. He has not. El-Rufai is still with us and will be spending another night in custody.
“He is very much with us and will remain so because the investigators are considering getting a remand order after the expiration of the 48 hours allowed by law.
“The investigators need some time with him to answer questions arising from his eight years as governor in Kaduna State,” the source said.
Also speaking with the press, El-Rufai’s counsel, A.U. Mustapha, confirmed that the former governor remained with the anti-graft agency, while insisting that his client had fully cooperated with investigators.
He described his client as a responsible citizen who is not a flight risk if granted bail.
Mustapha said: “Well, as a responsible citizen, he was invited and, true to his word, he honoured the invitation.
“As we speak, he is still with the EFCC. He is cooperating to the best of his capacity, and we hope that the EFCC, given its integrity, will be kind enough to admit him to bail because he is presumed innocent, and I am sure if he is granted bail, he will not jump bail.
“He is a responsible citizen, and everybody knows him. He came to Nigeria on his own volition. He wrote a letter that he was going to honour the EFCC invitation, and he kept his word as a man of integrity. We’re hopeful that very soon he will be granted bail.”
When asked about the specific allegations against his client, Mustapha declined to offer details.
“You’re asking the right question from the wrong person. That question can only be answered by the EFCC and not by me. I would just be speculating, and lawyers don’t do that.”
