The Department of State Services (DSS) is set to arraign former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai on February 25 over alleged cybercrime and breach of national security.
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court, Abuja, fixed the date after the Chief Judge, Justice John Tsoho, assigned the case to her. The three-count charge, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/99/2026, was filed by the DSS following allegations that El-Rufai was involved in the unlawful interception of the telephone lines of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.
According to the charge, El-Rufai allegedly admitted during a February 13 appearance on Arise TV’s Prime Time Programme in Abuja that he and others intercepted the NSA’s communications. The DSS said the action contravenes provisions of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Amendment Act, 2024.
In a second count, the former governor was accused of acknowledging knowledge of an individual who carried out the alleged interception without reporting the matter to security agencies, an offence also said to violate the Cybercrimes Act.
The third count alleges that El-Rufai and others still at large used technical equipment in 2026 to compromise public safety and national security by intercepting the NSA’s phone communications, contrary to Section 131(2) of the Nigerian Communications Act, 2003.
The development follows El-Rufai’s recent detention by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over separate corruption allegations. After being granted administrative bail, he was reportedly taken into custody by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), which confirmed he remains under investigation.
