The immediate past Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, is set to be arraigned before a Federal High Court in Abuja on February 25 over alleged cybercrime offences.
The three-count criminal charge was filed by the Department of State Services (DSS) and assigned to Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, according to a hearing notice issued by the court.
In the charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/99/2026, the DSS accused El-Rufai of committing cybercrimes and breaching provisions of the Nigerian Communications Act, 2003, by allegedly participating in the unlawful surveillance of the telephone of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.
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The development follows comments made by the former governor during an appearance last Saturday on Prime Time, a programme on Arise Television, where he claimed that “someone wiretapped” Ribadu’s phone, enabling him to listen to the NSA directing security operatives to effect his arrest.
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On Monday, the DSS formally filed the three-count charge, alleging that El-Rufai intercepted the NSA’s telephone conversation in contravention of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Amendment Act, 2024, and the Nigerian Communications Act.
The former Federal Capital Territory minister was briefly taken into DSS custody on February 18 after spending two nights with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
El-Rufai is also reportedly in the custody of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) over alleged corruption during his tenure as Kaduna State governor.
