The Department of State Services (DSS) will on February 25 arraign former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai over alleged cybercrime and breach of national security.
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court fixed the date after the Chief Judge, Justice John Tsoho, assigned the case to her.
The DSS had earlier filed a three-count criminal charge against El-Rufai, accusing him of involvement in wiretapping the telephone lines of the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu.
The charge, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/99/2026, was filed by the secret police
According to the DSS, the former governor violated provisions of the Cybercrimes Prohibition Act (2024) and the Nigerian Communications Act (2003).
The prosecution alleged that on February 13, while appearing on Arise TV’s Prime Time Programme in Abuja, El-Rufai admitted during the interview that he and others unlawfully intercepted the phone communications of the NSA.
The alleged offence is punishable under Section 12(1) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Amendment Act, 2024.
In count two, the DSS alleged that during the same interview, El-Rufai stated that he knew and related with an individual who unlawfully intercepted the NSA’s phone communications but failed to report the matter to security agencies.
The charge is said to be punishable under Section 27(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Amendment Act, 2024.
In the third count, the service alleged that El-Rufai and others still at large, sometime in 2026 in Abuja, used technical equipment or systems that compromised public safety and national security and created apprehension among Nigerians by intercepting the NSA’s communications.
The DSS said the former governor admitted to the act during the February 13 interview on Arise TV’s Prime Time Programme in Abuja, “and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 131(2) Nigerian Communications Act 2003.”
During the live programme, El-Rufai had claimed he overheard 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 returning from Cairo, Egypt.
Separately, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) detained the former governor on Monday over corruption allegations.
He was granted administrative bail around 8 p.m. on Wednesday but was reportedly taken into custody by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
Confirming the development in a message shared on a journalist’s WhatsApp group Wednesday night, the ICPC spokesperson, John Odey, said, “Malam Nasiru El-Rufai is in the custody of the commission in connection with ongoing investigations.”