The Federal Government has taken legal action against former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, over alleged involvement in the unlawful interception of the phone communications of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.
The suit, filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja and marked FHC/ABJ/CR/99/2026, lists the Federal Republic of Nigeria as the complainant and El-Rufai as the defendant.
Details contained in the court documents reveal that the charges are linked to comments allegedly made by El-Rufai during a February 13, 2026 interview on Prime Time, a flagship programme on Arise TV. During the televised discussion, prosecutors claim the former governor admitted that he and others intercepted the private communications of the National Security Adviser.
The first count accuses him of making statements that amount to an offence under Section 12(1) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Amendment Act, 2024.
In the second count, the government alleges that El-Rufai acknowledged having knowledge of individuals involved in the interception but failed to inform relevant authorities, an act said to contravene Section 27(b) of the amended Cybercrimes Act.
The third charge alleges that El-Rufai and other persons still at large used technical equipment in Abuja in 2026 to unlawfully intercept the NSA’s phone communications, thereby compromising national security. This allegation is said to be contrary to Section 131(2) of the Nigerian Communications Act, 2003.
At the time of this report, the court had not announced a date for his arraignment.
