UPDATED: El-Rufai arraigned in Abuja for allegedly intercepting Ribadu's phone conversations
The immediate past governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, has been arraigned before a Federal High Court in Abuja for allegedly intercepting the phone conversations of the telephone line of
The immediate past governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, has been arraigned before a Federal High Court in Abuja for allegedly intercepting the phone conversations of the telephone line of the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu.
El-Rufai pleaded not guilty when a five-count amended charge, marked: FHC/ABJ/99/2026, was read to him on Thursday morning before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik.
The charge was filed by the Department of State Services (DSS), which is prosecuting the case.
At the mention of the case, prosecuting lawyer, Oluwole Aladeloye (SAN), told the court that the case is scheduled for the arraignment of the defendant.
Aladeloye, however, said the prosecution filed a further amended charge of five counts to replace an earlier three-count charge.
When asked by Justice Abdulmalik if he had been served with the new amended charge, defence lawyer, Oluwole Iyamu (SAN) said he was served and was not opposed to the defendant being arraigned on the amended charge.
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Following El-Rufai's not-guilty plea, Aladeloye urged the court to adjourn the case for three consecutive days so the prosecution could conduct its trial.
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Defence lawyer, Oluwole Iyamu (SAN), expressed discomfort with the three days sought by Aladedoye, on the grounds that his client was still being held in custody, a development that may hinder his interaction with his client in preparation for his trial.
Iyamu later told the court that his client has a bail application pending, which was filed on February 17.
Proceedings, however, stalled midway through the hearing on the defendant's bail application when the judge noted that a document referred to by Iyamu was not in the court's file.
Upon Iyamu's request, which Aladeloye did not oppose, the judge stood down the case for the defence lawyer to ensure that the document was properly before the court.
When proceedings resumed some minutes later, Iyamu moved for bail, which the prosecuting officer did not oppose, but only urged the court to set conditions to ensure the defendant presents himself for trial.
Aladedoye also made a motion seeking an order to conceal the identities of two five witnesses to be called by the prosecution.
He said the prosecution seeks that the identities of the two witnesses not appear in public court records and that they be identified by pseudonyms during the trial.
Aladedoye said the application was informed by the belief that, should their identities be revealed, the witnesses, who are DSS officials and members of their families, would be exposed to danger and could be attacked by persons sympathetic to the defendant.
Iyamu objected to the application, arguing that it is a defendant's constitutional right to know his accusers.
He further submitted that there was no evidence before the court to show that El-Rufai had any cult-like following or posed a threat.
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The defence lawyer said the defendant had dedicated his life to public service and warned that granting a blanket anonymity order could create serious prejudice against the defendant.
Iyamu also moved an application praying for an order directing the prosecution to furnish the defense with evidence to prepare for trial, an application that Aladedoye also opposed.
Aladedoye argued the materials sought by the defence were documents unrelated to the processes filed by the prosecution.
The defence lawyer also moved another application in which the defendant is praying for the quashing of the charge, an application Aladedoye also objected to, arguing that it lacks merit.
Ruling, Justice Abdulmalik issued an order for an accelerated hearing of the case, adjourned to May 18, 19, 20 for ruling on the various applications moved and for the prosecution to open trial.
The judge also ordered that the defendant, who was brought from the custody of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) in relation to a separate case, should be remanded in the custody of the DSS.
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She ordered that the defence lawyers comply with the DSS's operating procedures and that DSS officials cooperate with the defence lawyers to enable them to prepare their defense.
Counts in the amended charge read:
*That you, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, adult, male, intentionally and unlawfully interfered with the communication of the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, which constitutes Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII) as contained in Designation and Protection of Critical National Information Infrastructure Order, 2024 gazetted as Statutory Instrument No. 21 of 2024, as admitted by you on 13th February, 2026 while appearing as a guest on Arise TV Station’s Prime Time Programme in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court and thereby committed an offence contrary to Paragraph 7 (b) & (c) of the Designation and Protection of Critical National Information Infrastructure Order, 2024 and punishable under Section 5 (1) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Amendment Act, 2024.
*That you, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, adult, male, without authorization, intentionally secured access to classified information by the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, ordering your arrest and detention on 12th of February, 2026, as admitted by you on 13th February, 2026, while appearing as a guest on Arise TV Station’s Prime Time Programme in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 6(2) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Amendment Act, 2024.
*That you, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, adult, male, intentionally and without authorization, intercepted the communications of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, as admitted by you on 13" February, 2026, while appearing as a guest on Arise TV Station’s Prime Time Programme in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 12(1) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Amendment Act, 2024.
*That you, Mallam Nasir El Rufai, adult, male, know, aided, abetted, procured and/ or related with certain individual, who unlawfully intercepted the communications of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, without reporting the said individual to relevant Security Agencies, as admitted by you on 13th February, 2026, while appearing as a guest on Arise TV Station’s Prime Time Programme in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 27 (1) (b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Amendment Act, 2024.
*That you, Mallam Nasir El Rufai, adult, male and other still at large, sometime in 2026, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable, did use technical equipment or systems which compromised public safety, national security and instilling reasonable apprehension of insecurity among Nigerians by unlawfully intercepting the communications of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, to which you admitted during an interview on 13th February, 2026, on Arise TV Station’s Prime Time Programme in Abuja and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 131(2) of Nigerian Communications Act, 2003.
