The Federal Government has filed a three-count charge against former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, over the alleged interception of communications belonging to Nigeria’s National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.

Last week, El-Rufai claimed in an interview that he and other unnamed individuals accessed Ribadu’s phone conversations after they were allegedly tapped by a third party. While acknowledging that such interception is technically unlawful, he argued that illegal surveillance was not unusual.

The Department of State Services (DSS) subsequently filed charges against El-Rufai at the Federal High Court in Abuja. The charge sheet states that El-Rufai admitted to allegedly intercepting the NSA’s phone calls alongside others.

See the charge below:

CHARGE
COUNT ONE

That you, Mallam Nasir El Rufai, adult, male, on 13th February, 2026, while appearing as a guest on Arise TV Station’s Prime Time Programme in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this court, did admit during the interview that you and your cohorts unlawfully intercepted the Phone Communications of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 12 (1) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Amendment Act, 2024.

COUNT TWO

That you, Mallam Nasir El Rufai, adult, male, on 13th February, 2026, while appearing as a guest on Arise TV Station’s Prime Time Programme in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this court, did state during the interview that you know and relate with certain individual, who unlawfully intercepted the Phone Communications of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, without reporting the said individual to relevant Security agencies and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 27 (b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Amendment Act, 2024.

COUNT THREE

That you, Mallam Nasir El Rufai, adult, male, and other still at large, sometime in 2026, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this court, with others still at large did use technical equipment or systems which compromised public safety, national security and instilling reasonable apprehension of insecurity among Nigerians by unlawfully intercepting the Phone 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) Nigerian Communications Act 2003.