FG sues El-Rufai over NSA phone-tapping claims

The federal government on Monday filed a three-count charge against former governor of Kaduna State Nasir El-Rufai over the alleged interception of communications belonging to Nigeria’s National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu.

Last week, El-Rufai claimed in an interview that he and other unnamed individuals listened to conversations from Ribadu’s phone after it was tapped by a third party. While acknowledging that such interception is technically unlawful, he argued that illegal surveillance was not unusual.

However, the federal government, through the Department of State Services (DSS), arraigned El-Rufai before the Federal High Court in Abuja.

According to the charge sheet, the government stated that El-Rufai admitted that he and his cohorts allegedly intercepted the NSA’s phone conversations.

The charge sheet reads in part: “That you, Malla Nasir El-Rufai, adult male, on 13th February 2026, while appearing as a guest on Arise TV’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.”