Nasir el-Rufai Arrested by DSS on Cybercrime Charges
Analysis based on 24 articles · First reported Feb 18, 2026 · Last updated Feb 19, 2026
The arrest and ongoing investigations into Nasir El-Rufai, a prominent political figure, could introduce political uncertainty in Nigeria, potentially affecting investor confidence in the short term. The focus on corruption and cybercrime allegations highlights governance risks, which might be viewed negatively by international markets.
Nasir El-Rufai, the former governor of Nigeria===Kaduna State, was arrested by the Nigeria===Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Monday over multi-million naira corruption allegations. After being granted bail on Wednesday night, he was immediately re-arrested by operatives of the Nigeria===State Security Service (Nigeria) (DSS). The DSS filed cybercrime charges against him, alleging that he unlawfully intercepted the phone communications of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu. El-Rufai had publicly claimed that Ribadu's phone was tapped and that he was overheard directing security operatives to detain him, leading to an attempted arrest at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport. His international passport was confiscated during the airport encounter. El-Rufai's lawyer condemned the arrest attempt and passport seizure as unconstitutional. The former governor has faced increasing scrutiny since leaving office, including allegations of diverting N423 billion in public funds, and has joined the opposition Nigeria===African Democratic Congress (ADC) to challenge President Bola Tinubu's re-election bid in 2027.
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