FG Drags El-Rufai to Court Over Alleged Phone Interception of NSA Ribadu

|By Adejumo Adekunle

The Federal Government has moved to arraign former Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, before the Federal High Court in Abuja over alleged unlawful interception of the phone communications of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.

Court documents filed on February 16, 2026, show that El-Rufai is facing a three-count charge bordering on cybercrime and national security breaches.

In Count One, the prosecution accused El-Rufai of admitting, during a February 13 appearance on Arise TV’s Prime Time Programme, that he and his associates unlawfully intercepted the communications of the National Security Adviser. The charge cited Section 12(1) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Amendment Act, 2024.

Count Two alleged that the former governor knowingly associated with individuals involved in the unlawful interception without reporting them to relevant security agencies, contrary to Section 27(b) of the same Act.

The third count accused El-Rufai of deploying technical equipment or systems to compromise public safety and national security by intercepting the NSA’s communications. Prosecutors relied on Section 131(2) of the Nigerian Communications Act, 2003, to sustain the charge.

The charges were instituted by counsel to the Department of State Services, including M.E. Ernest, O.M. Owan, U.M. Bulla, C.S. Eze and E.G. Orubor.

The Federal High Court in Abuja is expected to fix a date for arraignment in the coming days as the Federal Government intensifies its prosecution of the former governor.