By Ogbeni Olawale Dawodu ~
Former Nasir El-Rufai has spent a second night in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Abuja as investigators continue questioning him over alleged corruption.
Mr El-Rufai has been in detention since Monday after honouring the commission’s invitation regarding allegations of fraud during his tenure as Kaduna State governor from 2015 to 2023. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the investigation centres on alleged financial improprieties during his time in office.
An EFCC source confirmed on Tuesday night that the former governor would remain in custody as interrogations continued.
“As I am talking to you now, the former governor is still with our interrogators and he will be spending the night with them,” the source said.
The source assured that the commission would conduct a thorough and professional investigation into the allegations.
“I can assure you that the EFCC will do its job diligently by addressing all the issues raised against him,” the source added.
However, the official declined to state when Mr El-Rufai might be released or formally charged, noting that the timeline would depend on the outcome and pace of the ongoing investigation.
Meanwhile, Mr El-Rufai’s media aide, Muyiwa Adekeye, confirmed the detention in a statement on Monday, saying the former governor honoured the EFCC’s invitation and engaged in discussions with its officials.
According to Adekeye, the interaction was “frank and fruitful,” with Mr El-Rufai’s legal team commending the professionalism of the investigators. He added that the former governor remained with the commission following the engagement.
The detention comes shortly after Mr El-Rufai’s recent return to Nigeria from Cairo, Egypt, marking the latest twist in developments that began last Thursday.
