The Department of State Services (DSS) will on Wednesday, February 25, arraign former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, over alleged cybercrime and threats to national security.
The suit marked FHC/ABJ/CR/99/2026 will be heard at the Federal High Court in Abuja before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik.
New Telegraph gathered that the date was fixed after the Chief Judge of the court, Justice John Tsoho, reassigned the matter to Justice Abdulmalik.
This news platform had earlier reported that the DSS filed a three-count charge against the former governor on Monday for illegally tapping the telephone communications of the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu.
The security agency then levelled allegations against him of violating provisions of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Amendment Act, 2024, as well as the Nigerian Communications Act, 2003.
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In the first count, the prosecution alleged that El-Rufai admitted during a February 13 appearance on Arise TV’s Prime Time Programme in Abuja that he and others intercepted the NSA’s phone lines. The alleged conduct is said to contravene Section 12(1) of the Cybercrimes Amendment Act, 2024.
The second charge claimed that during the same television interview, the former governor acknowledged knowing an individual who carried out the interception but failed to report the matter to the appropriate security authorities. This, prosecutors argue, violates Section 27(b) of the same Act.
The third count accused El-Rufai and others still at large of deploying technical devices in Abuja in 2026 to compromise public safety and national security by unlawfully accessing the NSA’s communications.
The charge stated that the act, allegedly admitted during the February 13 interview, “and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 131(2) Nigerian Communications Act 2003.”
Recall that during the live broadcast, El-Rufai claimed he overheard Ribadu instructing security operatives to detain him. He linked the alleged directive to an attempted arrest at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport on February 12 upon his return from Cairo, Egypt.
The former governor was earlier detained by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over separate corruption allegations. Although he was granted administrative bail around 8 p.m. on Wednesday, he was subsequently taken into custody by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission.
Confirming the development, ICPC spokesperson John Odey stated in a message shared with journalists, “Malam Nasiru El-Rufai is in the custody of the commission in connection with ongoing investigations.”
