DSS Schedules Arraignment of El-Rufai Over NSA Phone Interception and Cybercrime Charges
The Department of State Services has scheduled February 25 for the arraignment of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai before the Federal High Court in Abuja, concerning alleged cybercrimes and breaches of national security.
The case, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/99/2026, has been assigned to Justice Joyce Abdulmalik by Chief Judge Justice John Tsoho, who set the arraignment date.
On Monday, the DSS filed a three-count criminal complaint against El-Rufai, accusing him of illegally intercepting the telephone communications of the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu.
The agency alleges that El-Rufai’s actions violate the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Amendment Act, 2024, and the Nigerian Communications Act, 2003.
In the first count, the DSS states that on February 13, 2026, during an appearance on Arise TV’s Prime Time Programme in Abuja, El-Rufai confessed to unlawfully intercepting the NSA’s phone communications, an offense punishable under Section 12(1) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Amendment Act, 2024.
Count two alleges that El-Rufai mentioned during the same interview that he knew someone who unlawfully intercepted the NSA’s communications without reporting the incident to security authorities. The DSS indicates this offense is punishable under Section 27(b) of the same Act.
During the live interview, El-Rufai claimed to have overheard Ribadu instructing security personnel to detain him, attributing this to an alleged attempt to arrest him at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport on February 12 after returning from Cairo, Egypt.
The former governor was granted administrative bail at approximately 8 p.m. on Wednesday after being detained by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for questioning regarding an alleged N432 billion fraud. Subsequently, he was reportedly taken into custody by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission.
