The Federal Government has brought a three-count charge against former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, over allegations that he intercepted phone communications of Nigeria’s National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.
Last week, El-Rufai claimed in an interview that he and other unnamed individuals had listened to conversations on Ribadu’s phone after it was reportedly tapped by a third party. While admitting that such interception is illegal, he suggested that unauthorised surveillance is not uncommon.
The Federal Government, through the Department of State Services, subsequently filed charges against El-Rufai at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
According to the charge sheet obtained by Koikimedia, the government claims that El-Rufai admitted during the interview that he and his associates unlawfully intercepted the NSA’s phone calls.
The case names the Federal Republic of Nigeria as the complainant and Mallam Nasir El-Rufai as the defendant.
The charges are detailed as follows:
COUNT ONE
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.
COUNT TWO
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 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.
COUNT THREE
That you, Mallam Nasir El Rufai, adult, male, and other 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, national security and instilling 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 13th February, 2026, on Arise TV Station’s Prime Time Programme in Abuja and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 131 (2) Nigerian Communications Act 2003.
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