Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has been charged before a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) court over allegations of unlawful interception of the phone communications of Nigeria’s National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.
The criminal charge, instituted in the name of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and marked FCT/ABJ/CR/99/2026, stemmed from statements El-Rufai allegedly made during a live interview on Prime Time on Arise TV on February 13, 2026, in Abuja.
According to the prosecution, El-Rufai, 65, admitted during the broadcast that he and some associates unlawfully intercepted the private phone communications of the NSA.
The Department of State Services (DSS) contended that the alleged act amounted to a serious breach of Nigeria’s cybercrime and communications laws and posed a threat to public safety and national security.
Court documents further alleged that the former governor not only acknowledged knowledge of those who carried out the interception but also failed to report them to relevant security agencies, despite being aware of the alleged offence.
Prosecutors also claimed that the unlawful use of technical equipment to intercept the NSA’s communications compromised national security and created reasonable apprehension of insecurity among Nigerians.
The charge is predicated on provisions of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) (Amendment) Act, 2024, as well as the Nigerian Communications Act, 2003.
In the court document dated June 2026 and signed by M. E. Ernest, counsel to the prosecution from the Department of State Services, the prosecution stated that “the unlawful use of technical equipment to intercept the NSA’s communications compromised national security and created reasonable apprehension of insecurity among Nigerians.”