James Adamu in Abuja
The Federal Government has officially filed charges against former Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, over his alleged involvement in the unlawful interception of the phone communications of the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu.
The charges, which followed comments made by the former Kaduna State governor during a live television appearance on Friday last week, were filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja naming the Federal Republic of Nigeria as the complainant and El-Rufai as the sole defendant in the matter.
Spear News Nigeria obtained the charge sheet, marked with Charge FHC/ABJ/CR/99/2026 which contains a three-count charge against the former governor.
According to the document signed by prosecution counsel including M.E. Ernest, Esq., O.M. Ownan, Esq., and C.S. Eze, PhD, among others, the charges are predicated on El-Rufai’s appearance as a guest on the Arise TV station’s Prime Time programme on 13th February, 2026.
In Count One, the prosecution alleges that the defendant, while on the programme in Abuja, “did admit during the interview that you and your cohorts unlawfully intercepted the Phone Communications of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.” This action, the charge states, is an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 12 (1) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Amendment Act, 2024.
Count Two accuses El-Rufai of stating during the same interview that he knows and relates with certain individuals who unlawfully intercepted the NSA’s communications, but failed to report said individuals to the relevant security agencies. This omission is alleged to be an offence under Section 2(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Amendment Act, 2024.
The third and final count introduces the involvement of others still at large. Count Three alleges that the defendant, along with others, sometime in 2026 in Abuja, did “use technical equipment or systems which compromised public safety, national security and instilling reasonable apprehension of insecurity among Nigerians.”
This was done, the charge states, by unlawfully intercepting the phone communications of Nuhu Ribadu, an act to which the defendant admitted during the Arise TV interview. This offence is said to be contrary to and punishable under Section 131 (2) of the Nigerian Communications Act, 2003.
The charge sheet, which is to be served on the defendant, was issued from the Department of State Services (DSS) and bears the signatures of the counsel for the prosecution.
As of the time of this report, there has been no official reaction from Mallam Nasir El-Rufai or his media team regarding the impending arraignment. The case is expected to be assigned to a judge for the taking of the defendant’s plea in the coming days.
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