The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday granted bail to former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, who was immediately rearrested by the Department of State Services (DSS) over allegations of intercepting the communication of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.
There were indications that the former governor could be arraigned today on a three-count charge already filed against him at the Federal High Court, Abuja Division.
Sources said El-Rufai was granted liberal bail conditions by the EFCC in view of his two outstanding cases with the DSS and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC). The anti-graft agency also considered that the DSS had seized his passport to restrict his movement.
A source, who spoke in confidence, said the former governor regained freedom at about 7:30pm after perfecting his bail conditions.
He said: “ The former governor has been released on bail with an undertaking to make himself available anytime he is needed to clarify issues and sort out documents.
“The EFCC did not impose stringent bail conditions because he has multiple cases with different security and anti-graft agencies. There are similarities and meeting points on bail terms. Not only that, the court is the arbiter which will determine his fate.
“He has more allegations to respond to. We have done a bit, we granted him reprieve to enable him to attend to other cases.”
However, El-Rufai was rearrested by DSS operatives shortly after leaving the EFCC premises.
A security source who confirmed the arrest said he was picked up to “enable him make statement on certain wire communication by the NSA.”
“He granted an interview on a national television. DSS investigators will interact with him on the details in his possession and the source of his information.
“It is also a legal precondition for his arraignment in court. We are legally bound to obtain his statement on oath because his allegations are weighty security matters.”
Responding to a question, the source added: “The ex-governor might be taken to court on Thursday (today) on charges preferred against him.”
The counts in the charge read:
●That you, Mallam Nasir El Rufai, adult, male, on 13th February, 2026, while appearing as a guest on Arise TV station’s Prime Time Programme in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this court, did admit during the interview that you and your cohorts unlawfully intercepted the phone communications of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 12(1) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Amendment, Act, 2024.
●That you, Mallam Nasir el- Rufai, adult, male, on 13th February, 2026, while appearing as a guest on Arise TV station’s Prime Time Programme in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this court, did state during the interview that you know and relate with certain individual, who unlawfully intercepted the phone Communications of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, without reporting the said individual to relevant security agencies and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 27 (b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Amendment, Act, 2024.
●That you, Mallam Nasir El Rufai, adult, male, and other still at large, sometime in 2026, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this court, with others still at large did use technical equipment or systems which compromised public safety, national security and instilling reasonable apprehension of insecurity among Nigerians by unlawfully intercepting the phone communications of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, to which you admitted during an interview on 13th February, 2026, on Arise TV station’s Prime Time Programme in Abuja and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 131(2) Nigerian Communications Act 2003.
Section 12 (1) of the Cyber- crime Act provides for a two-year jail term or N5million fine or both on conviction;
Section 131 (2) of the Nigerian Communications Act stipulates a fine not exceeding N100,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding one year or both.
