EFCC Apprehends El-Rufai Over Alleged N432bn Fraud 

This got here because the Federal Authorities, yessterday, filed a three-count cost in opposition to El-Rufai, alleging that he unlawfully intercepted the telephone communication of the Nationwide Safety Adviser, NSA, Nuhu Ribadu.

That is at the same time as pregnant ladies and kids obtained choked as operatives of the EFCC, fired teargas to disperse professional and anti-El-Rufai supporters, who clashed on the workplace of the anti-graft company in Abuja additionally yesterday.

An EFCC supply confirmed that the previous governor is presently with investigators however stated it was nonetheless unclear how lengthy the session will final.

“He’s with our investigators, however can’t verify how lengthy he can be questioned, it’s nonetheless early to know the way lengthy he’ll keep there,” the supply stated.

The previous Kaduna governor, is beneath investigation over loans obtained throughout his administration, which a Kaduna State Home of Meeting ad-hoc committee alleged had been mismanaged or used with out due course of.

He has denied the allegations, insisting they’re politically motivated.

Reacting to the political dimension of the event, opposition determine and former presidential spokesman Umar Sani, stated: “Nasir El-Rufai’s engagements are deliberate and calculated designed to tug the federal government out of its consolation zone and drive it into open confrontation.

“The target is to reveal the mental hollowness of these in energy, publicly ridicule them, and push them into disarray. Totally conscious that this authorities is illiberal of criticism, he exploits that weak spot successfully.
“On this regard, he’s succeeding. El-Rufai has turn into a one-man riot squad and, unmistakably, the face of the opposition.”

The cost in opposition to the previous Kaduna governor, by a workforce of 5 prosecutors from the Division of State Providers, DSS, led by M. Ernest, was filed on the Abuja Division of the Federal Excessive Court docket sitting in Abuja.

It was alleged that El-Rufai, who was governor between 2015 and 2023 and in addition Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, beneath former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration, dedicated the crime with some folks presently on the run.

In accordance with the cost, the defendant admitted on February 13 when he appeared as a visitor on Come up TV’s Prime Time Programme in Abuja, that he aligned with others and unlawfully intercepted the telephone communications of the Nationwide Safety Adviser, NSA, Nuhu Ribadu, thereby committing an offence opposite to and punishable beneath part 12(1) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, and many others.) (Modification) Act, 2024.

It alleged that the erstwhile governor had, in the midst of the tv interview, said that he knew and associated to a sure particular person who had unlawfully intercepted the NSA’s phone communications with out reporting him to the related safety businesses.

By failing to report the crime, El-Rufai was stated to have dedicated an offence opposite to and punishable beneath Part 27 (b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition , Prevention, and many others) Modification, Act, 2024.

Extra so, FG alleged that the defendant, whereas performing in cahoots with others nonetheless at massive, used technical gear that compromised public security, nationwide safety and instilled cheap apprehension of insecurity amongst Nigerians, following the illegal interception of the NSA’s calls.

He was accused of committing an offence opposite to and punishable beneath Part 131 (2) Nigerian Communications Act 2003.

In the meantime, no date has been mounted for the defendant to be arraigned in court docket to enter his plea to the fees levelled in opposition to him by FG.

It is going to be recalled that El-Rufai, in his response to what he described as an try by operatives of the DSS to “abduct” him at Nnamdi Azikiwe Worldwide Airport in Abuja on February 12, 2026, on return from Cairo, insisted that the safety company was being instigated by the Unbiased Corrupt Practices and Different Associated Offences Fee, ICPC, which, he stated, had obtained a directive from the NSA, Ribadu, to detain him.

He claimed the data obtained to him by somebody who listened in on the NSA’s phone conversations.

The three-count cost learn: “That you simply, Mallam Nasir E-Rufai, grownup, male, on thirteenth February, 2026, whereas showing as a visitor on Come up TV Station’s Prime Time Programme in Abuja, throughout the jurisdiction of this court docket, did admit in the course of the interview that you just and your cohorts unlawfully intercepted the Cellphone Communications of the Nationwide Safety Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu and thereby dedicated an offence opposite to and punishable beneath Part 12 (1) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, and many others) Modification, Act, 2024.

In the meantime, there was panic on the Federal Medical Centre, Jabi, Abuja yesterday after teargas allegedly fired by operatives of the {Economic} and {Financial} Crimes Fee, EFCC, to disperse professional and anti-El-Rufai protesters wafted into the hospital premises, leaving sufferers and caregivers gasping for breath.

Vanguard gathered that the protesters had assembled on the EFCC headquarters in Jabi in solidarity with former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, who was invited for questioning by the anti-graft company over alleged corruption linked to his tenure.

El-Rufai had reportedly arrived on the EFCC facility earlier within the day, accompanied by a whole bunch of supporters, a growth that led to heightened safety presence within the space and heavy site visitors congestion alongside the Jabi-Airport Highway hall.Hassle, nevertheless, started when operatives moved to disperse the group. Shortly after teargas canisters had been discharged, fumes drifted in the direction of the close by Federal Medical Centre, inflicting misery amongst susceptible sufferers, together with pregnant ladies and kids, receiving remedy.

Eyewitnesses described scenes of confusion as sufferers scrambled for security throughout the hospital complicated.
Some had been seen hurriedly overlaying their noses with face masks and items of material to protect themselves from the choking smoke.

A pregnant girl, who spoke to Vanguard throughout her antenatal go to, recounted the ordeal, saying “even contained in the hospital, everybody was struggling to breathe. My eyes had been full of tears, I used to be coughing, and it wasn’t simply me. We had been operating into one another in panic. It was not a superb expertise in any respect.’’

She expressed concern over the proximity of the anti-graft company’s headquarters to a significant well being facility, noting that the discharge of teargas so near sick sufferers posed critical well being dangers. “It’s not a superb possibility in any respect, particularly in a spot the place there are sick folks.