Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, remained in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Tuesday night as his legal team intensified efforts to secure his release on bail amid an ongoing investigation into an alleged N432bn fraud.
Sources within the anti-graft agency indicated that the commission was considering approaching a court for a remand order to prolong his detention beyond the legally permitted period in order to allow investigators conclude questioning related to the case.
El-Rufai had reported at the EFCC headquarters in Abuja on Monday morning following an invitation by the commission over allegations linked to financial dealings during his eight-year administration in Kaduna State.
He was subsequently held in custody while interrogations continued.
A senior official of the commission, who spoke on condition of anonymity, dismissed claims circulating on social media that the former governor had been released, stressing that investigators still required more time to question him.
According to the source, the agency may seek judicial approval to retain him in custody after the expiration of the statutory 48-hour window, noting that investigators were examining issues arising from his tenure between 2015 and 2023.
Speaking in a telephone interview on Tuesday, El-Rufai’s counsel, A.U. Mustapha (SAN), confirmed that his client remained with the commission but maintained that he had fully cooperated with investigators since honouring the invitation.
The lawyer described the former governor as a law-abiding citizen who voluntarily returned to Nigeria to face questioning, expressing optimism that the EFCC would grant him administrative bail.
He argued that his client posed no flight risk and would comply with all bail conditions if released.
Mustapha, however, declined to comment on the specific allegations or details of the interrogation, insisting that such matters were confidential and could only be clarified by the anti-graft agency.
The investigation follows a report submitted by an ad hoc committee of the Kaduna State House of Assembly established in 2024 to examine loans, contracts, and financial transactions carried out between 2015 and 2023 under El-Rufai’s administration.
The committee, chaired by Henry Zacharia, alleged that several loans obtained during the period were misapplied, while Speaker Yusuf Dahiru Leman claimed that about N423bn was allegedly diverted.
Lawmakers subsequently recommended the investigation and prosecution of the former governor and some ex-cabinet members over alleged abuse of office, money laundering, contract irregularities, and reckless borrowing.
Petitions arising from the report were later forwarded to the EFCC and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission for further action.
El-Rufai has consistently denied wrongdoing, describing the probe as politically driven and insisting that all loans secured during his tenure were duly appropriated and utilised for infrastructure development, education, healthcare, and security projects.