Operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) have arrested former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, moments after he regained freedom from the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The arrest reportedly took place shortly after 8 p.m., the time he was released on bail, according to a report by Premium Times. DSS operatives were said to have positioned themselves at the EFCC headquarters ahead of his release and moved in immediately he stepped out.
Sources linked the fresh arrest to claims that the former governor illegally monitored and intercepted the telephone communications of the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu.
El-Rufai, a leading figure in the African Democratic Congress (ADC), had earlier responded to an invitation from the EFCC on Monday. The invitation was connected to alleged corruption issues tied to his time in office as governor.
He honoured the commission’s summons in the company of a large crowd of supporters who accompanied him to the EFCC headquarters.
The latest development follows an earlier incident last Thursday at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja, where El-Rufai reportedly avoided arrest.
After the airport episode, the former governor publicly accused NSA Nuhu Ribadu of masterminding the attempted arrest during several media interviews.
The DSS has yet to issue an official statement on the arrest as of the time of filing this report.
