Federal Government to Arraign Ex-Kaduna Governor El-Rufai on Cybercrime, National Security Charges
The Federal Government has fixed February 25 for the arraignment of former Kaduna State Governor and African Democratic Congress (ADC) chieftain, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, on allegations bordering on cybercrime and breach of national security.
The matter has been assigned to Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court (FHC) by the Chief Judge, Justice John Tsoho, who scheduled the arraignment date.
On Monday, the Department of State Services (DSS) filed a three-count criminal charge against El-Rufai, following his public admission of wiretapping the telephone lines of the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu. The charges were filed the same day El-Rufai appeared before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over corruption allegations amounting to ₦440 billion, allegedly committed during his tenure as Kaduna State Governor between 2015 and 2023.
The charge, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/99/2026, accuses El-Rufai of violating provisions of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Amendment Act, 2024 and the Nigerian Communications Act, 2003.
– Count One: That on February 13, during an interview on Arise TV’s Prime Time, El-Rufai admitted to unlawfully intercepting the NSA’s phone communications.
– Count Two: That he acknowledged knowing individuals engaged in such unlawful interception without reporting them to security agencies.
– Count Three: That he, alongside others “still at large,” used technical equipment in 2026 to compromise public safety and national security by intercepting the NSA’s communications.
The DSS maintains that these acts contravene Section 12(1) and Section 27(b) of the Cybercrimes Act, as well as Section 131(2) of the Nigerian Communications Act.
El-Rufai had earlier claimed, during the Arise TV interview, that he overheard Ribadu instructing operatives to detain him, linking the directive to an attempted arrest at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport on February 12, upon his return from Cairo, Egypt.
Following his detention by the EFCC from Monday to Wednesday, El-Rufai was immediately arrested by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) for further investigation.
