Nasir El-Rufai, former Kaduna State Governor, remained in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Tuesday night as the anti-graft agency deepened its probe into an alleged ₦432 billion fraud during his time in office.

El-Rufai arrived at the EFCC headquarters in Abuja on Monday morning, following an invitation, and has since been interrogated.

A senior commission official, who declined to be identified, said the former governor had not been released and could be held for longer if investigators obtain a remand order after the legally permitted 48 hours.

According to sources, the inquiry focuses on financial decisions made during his eight-year tenure in Kaduna State.

His lawyer, A.U. Mustapha (SAN), confirmed that his client was still with the commission but emphasized that he had fully cooperated.

“As a responsible citizen, he honoured the invitation,” Mustapha said. “He is cooperating to the best of his capacity, and we hope the EFCC will admit him to bail because he is presumed innocent. If granted bail, he will not jump bail.”

The investigation stems from a 2024 report by an ad hoc committee of the Kaduna State House of Assembly, chaired by Henry Zacharia, that examined loans, contracts, and other financial transactions between 2015 and 2023.

The panel claimed that hundreds of billions of naira were misapplied or diverted, and it recommended further investigation and prosecution.

El-Rufai has consistently denied wrongdoing, calling the allegations politically motivated. He claims that loans obtained during his administration were properly appropriated and directed toward infrastructure, education, healthcare, and security projects throughout the state. According to EFCC sources, the investigation has been ongoing for approximately a year.

In a separate development, the Department of State Services has filed criminal charges against the former governor for allegedly intercepting communications with the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.