On February 25, Nasir El-Rufai, the immediate former governor of Kaduna State, is scheduled to appear before a Federal High Court in Abuja on a three-count criminal complaint brought against him by the Department of State Services (DSS), barring any unanticipated events. The matter has been handed to Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, who will arraign El-Rufai. The court sent the parties a hearing notice that included information to this effect.
In the case designated FHC/ABJ/CR/99/2026, the DSS charged El-Rufai with breaking the Communications Act and committing cybercrimes by allegedly participating in the illegal bugging of National Security Adviser (NSA) Nuhu Ribadu's phone.
According to count one, El-Rufai admitted in an interview that he and his associates illegally intercepted the NSA, Mr. Ribadu's, phone conversations on February 13 while he was a guest on the Prime Time Program of the Arise TV station in Abuja.
Section 12(1) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Amendment Act, 2024, states that the offense is against the law and is penalized by it. In count two, he is accused of saying in an interview on February 13, while a guest on the Prime Time Program of the Arise TV station in Abuja, that he knew and was related to a certain person who illegally intercepted NSA phone communications without informing the appropriate security agencies.
According to Section 27(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Amendment Act, 2024, the offense is against the law and is penalized by it. According to count three, El-Rufai and other individuals who are still at large used technological devices or systems in Abuja sometime in 2026 that jeopardized national security, public safety, and caused legitimate fear of insecurity among Nigerians by illegally intercepting NSA phone conversations.
In an interview on February 13th on the Prime Time Program of Arise TV station in Abuja, El-Rufai acknowledged the crime according to the DSS, "and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 131(2) Nigerian Communications Act 2003."
After being held by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to be questioned in connection with a purported N432 billion fraud case, the former governor was eventually granted administrative bail at approximately 8 p.m. on Wednesday. The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission reportedly arrested him soon after his release, though.