Olushola Omogbehin
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has arrested Former Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai.
ICPC’s Head of Media and Public Communications, J. Okor Odey, said El-Rufai was detained on Wednesday night in connection with ongoing investigations.
The former governor was first arrested by EFCC on Monday over allegations of corruption but the moments he was released on bail on Wednesday.
Shortly after he was given administrative bail on Wednesday he was immediately taken into custody by operatives of the ICPC stationed at the EFCC headquarters in Abuja, according to witnesses.
This was due to separate cybercrime charges filed against Mr El-Rufai by the SSS at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The charges, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/99/2026, were filed under the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Amendment Act, 2024, and the Nigerian Communications Act, 2003.
It accused El-Rufai of admitting during a television interview that an unnamed associate unlawfully intercepted the NSA’s phone communications, and he listened to them.
According to the charge sheet, the alleged admission was made on February 13, 2026, when El-Rufai appeared as a guest on Arise TV’s Prime Time programme in Abuja.
He said he overheard Mr Ribadu directing security operatives to detain him, linking the alleged directive to an attempted arrest at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport last Thursday after returning from Cairo, Egypt.
Report by witnesses said security officials temporarily seized his international passport during the airport encounter before allowing him to leave.
He was thereafter charged by SSS prosecutors, with unlawful interception of communications and related offences.
The prosecution alleged that he admitted intercepting the NSA’s communications, failed to report unlawful interceptions by others, and acted in a manner that compromised public safety and national security.
