The President Bola Tinubu-led Federal Government has filed charges against the former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai.
The Federal Republic of Nigeria, as complainant, and El-Rufai, as defendant, filed the charges, designated FHC/ABJ/CR/99/2026, before the Federal High Court, Abuja Judicial Division.
In court documents obtained by Chronicle NG, the prosecution asserted that El-Rufai acknowledged illegally intercepting the National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu’s phone conversations on February 13, 2026, while he was a guest on Arise TV’s Prime Time program in Abuja.
In count one, the Federal Government claims that the admittance violates Section 12(1) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Amendment Act, 2024, and is punishable as such.
El-Rufai is accused of violating Section 27(b) of the Cybercrimes Amendment Act, 2024, by allegedly saying in the same interview that he knew and had ties to people who illegally intercepted Ribadu’s phone conversations but neglected to notify the appropriate security services.
According to the third count, El-Rufai and other individuals who are still at large used technical devices or systems to illegally intercept the National Security Adviser’s phone conversations in Abuja sometime in 2026.
This was alleged to have jeopardized national security and public safety, which is against Section 131(2) of the Nigerian Communications Act, 2003.
At the time of filing this report, no date had been fixed for El-Rufai’s arraignment.
Details later…
