Olayiwola Matthew
The immediate past governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, is scheduled to be arraigned before a Federal High Court in Abuja on February 25 over a three-count criminal charge filed by the Department of State Services (DSS).
According to a hearing notice cited in Abuja El-Rufai, who served as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja during President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration will be arraigned before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, who is assigned to hear and determine the matter.
The DSS, in the charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/99/2026, accused the former governor of committing cybercrimes and breaching provisions of the Communications Act by allegedly participating in the unlawful surveillance of the telephone of the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu.
The DSS had, on Monday, filed a three-count criminal charge against El-Rufai following his alleged involvement in wiretapping the telephone lines of the NSA.
In the charge sheet marked, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/99/2026, the DSS accused El-Rufai of breaching the Cybercrimes Prohibition Act (2024) and the Nigerian Communications Act (2003.)
In court one, El-Rufai was alleged to have, on February 13, while appearing as a guest on Arise TV station’s Prime Time Programme in Abuja, admitted during the interview that he and his cohorts unlawfully intercepted the phone communications of the NSA, Mr Ribadu.
The offence is said to be contrary to and punishable under Section 12(1) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Amendment Act, 2024.
In count two, the ex-governor was alleged to have, on February 13, while appearing as a guest on Arise TV station’s Prime Time Programme in Abuja, stated during the interview that he knew and related with a certain individual who unlawfully intercepted the phone communications of the NSA, without reporting the said individual to relevant security agencies.
The offence is said to be contrary to and punishable under Section 27(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Amendment Act, 2024.
Count three alleged that, El-Rufai and others still at large, sometime in 2026, in Abuja, did use technical equipment or systems which compromised public safety and national security and instilled reasonable apprehension of insecurity among Nigerians by unlawfully intercepting the NSA’s phone communications.
The act, which the DSS said the ex-governor admitted during an interview on February 13th on Arise TV station’s Prime Time Programme in Abuja, is an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 131(2) Nigerian Communications Act 2003.
El-Rufai had, during a live interview on the TV station, claimed he overheard Mr Ribadu directing security operatives to detain him, linking the alleged directive to an attempted arrest at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport on February 12 after his return from Cairo, Egypt.
It would be recalled that, the former governor was detained by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Monday over corruption allegations.
He was granted administrative bail at about 8 p.m. on Wednesday but was said to have been immediately taken into custody by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
