The Department of State Services (DSS) is set to arraign former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, on February 25 over allegations bordering on cybercrime and threats to national security.
The arraignment date was fixed by Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court (FHC) after the Chief Judge of the court, Justice John Tsoho, reassigned the matter to her.
Earlier, the DSS on Monday filed a three-count criminal charge against El-Rufai, accusing him of involvement in the unlawful interception of telephone communications belonging to the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu.
The charge, brought by the Nigerian secret police, is marked FHC/ABJ/CR/99/2026.
According to the DSS, El-Rufai allegedly contravened provisions of the Cybercrimes Prohibition Act (2024) and the Nigerian Communications Act (2003).
Court documents allege that on February 13, while featuring as a guest on Arise TV station’s Prime Time Programme in Abuja, El-Rufai admitted during the live interview that he and others unlawfully intercepted the phone communications of the NSA, Mr Ribadu.
The alleged offence is said to be contrary to and punishable under Section 12(1) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Amendment Act, 2024.
In the second count, prosecutors allege that during the same February 13 appearance on Arise TV station’s Prime Time Programme in Abuja, the former governor stated that he knew and related with an individual who unlawfully intercepted the NSA’s phone communications, but failed to report the matter to appropriate security agencies.
This allegation is said to contravene Section 27(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Amendment Act, 2024.
The third count accuses El-Rufai and others said to be at large of using technical devices or systems in Abuja sometime in 2026 to compromise public safety and national security, allegedly creating reasonable fear among Nigerians by unlawfully intercepting the NSA’s phone communications.
The DSS maintained that the act, which it said the former governor admitted to during the February 13 Arise TV interview, “and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 131(2) Nigerian Communications Act 2003.”
NAN recalls that during the live television interview, El-Rufai claimed he overheard Mr Ribadu directing security operatives to arrest him. He linked the alleged directive to what he described as an attempted arrest at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport on February 12 upon his return from Cairo, Egypt.
The former governor was earlier detained on Monday by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over separate corruption allegations.
Although he was granted administrative bail around 8 p.m. on Wednesday, he was reportedly taken into custody immediately by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
Confirming the development in a message posted on a journalists’ WhatsApp group on Wednesday night, ICPC spokesperson John Odey stated, “Malam Nasiru El-Rufai is in the custody of the commission in connection with ongoing investigations.”
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