Former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai is to remain in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for the third consecutive day over allegations of large-scale corruption and embezzlement during his eight-year tenure.
El-Rufai is being investigated by the EFCC over allegation of misappropriation of more than ₦433 billion while in office between 2015 and 2023.
A close source at the EFCC said that the anti-graft agency initially granted El-Rufai an administrative bail on the condition that a Permanent Secretary and a Director in a Federal Ministry will stand for him as sureties.
It was however gathered that when the Permanent Secretary reportedly arrived at the EFCC’s office to complete the bail formalities, the agency declined to proceed with the arrangement.
The development made the Permanent Secretary to withdrew from the process after allegedly received threats, thereby raised concerns over possible intimidation and interference.
However, the EFCC has yet to issue an official statement on the matter.
The former Governor of Kaduna State was also scheduled to appear before the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) today (Wednesday) to answer questions over separate allegations bordering on corruption.
In formation pieced together by Forefront News indicated that the legal team of El-Rufai had written to the ICPC to formally notify it of the circumstances preventing him from attending the interrogation.
In a related development, the Department of State Services has filed charges against El-Rufai before a Federal High Court in Abuja over allegations of unlawfully intercepting the phone communications of the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu.
Court documents show that the charges, marked FHC/CR/99/2026, were filed in the name of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, with El-Rufai, 65, as the sole defendant.
