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From Godwin Tsa, Abuja
The Federal Government has filed a three-count charge against the former Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, over the alleged bugging of the telephone line of the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu.
The Federal Government filed the charge, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/2026, yesterday before the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court, through the Department of State Services (DSS).
The prosecution alleged that El-Rufai, who also served as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) under the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, committed the crime with some persons who are currently on the run.
Specifically, the prosecution told the court that the erstwhile governor had, on February 13, 2026, when he appeared as a guest on Arise TV station’s Prime Time programme, admitted his complicity in the crime.
He was accused of committing an offence under Section 12(1) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) (Amendment) Act 2024.
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In count two of the charge, the former governor, who is a frontline member of a coalition of opposition politicians that are dissatisfied with President Bola Tinubu’s administration, was said to be aware that someone unlawfully intercepted the NSA’s communications but failed to report the crime to the relevant security agencies.
It was further alleged that by using technical equipment to intercept the NSA’s calls, the defendants endangered public safety and national security, and instilled “reasonable apprehension” among Nigerians, an offence in breach of Section 131(2) of the Nigerian Communications Act 2003.
The charge reads, “That you, Mallam Nasir El Rufai, adult, male, on 13th February, 2026, while appearing as a guest on Arise TV station’s Prime Time Programme in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this court, did admit during the interview that you and your cohorts unlawfully intercepted the phone communications of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 12(1) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Amendment Act, 2024.
“That you, Mallam Nasir El Rufai, adult, male, on February 13, 2026, while appearing as a guest on Arise TV station’s Prime Time Programme in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this court, did state during the interview that you know and relate with certain individual, who unlawfully intercepted the phone communications of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, without reporting the said individual to relevant security agencies and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 27(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Amendment Act, 2024.
“That you, Mallam Nasir El Rufai, adult, male, and others still at large, sometime in 2026, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this court, with others still at large did use technical equipment or systems which compromised public safety [and] national security and instilled reasonable apprehension of insecurity among Nigerians by unlawfully intercepting the phone communications of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, to which you admitted during an interview on February 13, 2026, on Arise TV station’s Prime Time Programme in Abuja and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 131(2) of the Nigerian Communications Act 2003.”
