Nasir el-Rufai, former governor of Kaduna State, has honoured the invitation of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged misappropriation of funds.
Our correspondent gathered that El-Rufai arrived at the headquarters of the EFCC in Abuja at about 10:35 a.m. on Monday, accompanied by hundreds of supporters.
His arrival reportedly sparked tension at the entrance of the anti-graft agency, as security operatives restricted members of his entourage from entering the premises.
Supporters of former Kaduna State governor gathered at the junction leading to the commission’s headquarters, chanting slogans and holding placards with inscriptions such as “El-Rufai is a citizen, not a subject” and “We stand with El-Rufai. We stand for law.”
A video circulating online showed some of the supporters alleging that the EFCC dispersed them with teargas, while claiming that anti-El-Rufai protesters were allowed to assemble nearby.
The opposing group carried banners reading, “El-Rufai cannot hide behind politics, let the law catch up,” alongside smaller placards urging, “Answer the charge, El-Rufai.”
El-Rufai, a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), had earlier travelled abroad on November 30, 2025.
Sources indicated that the EFCC delivered a letter of invitation to his residence in December, fuelling speculation that he could face arrest upon his return.
The development comes days after an incident at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, where the former governor resisted what he described as an attempted arrest.
Following the airport episode, the former Kaduna governor publicly accused Nuhu Ribadu, the national security adviser, of being behind the move to detain him; an allegation that has further heightened political tensions.
