The Federal Government has filed criminal charges against former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, over the alleged unlawful interception of the phone communications of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.
The charge, marked C2/99/2026 and dated February 16, 2026, lists the Federal Republic of Nigeria as the complainant and El-Rufai as the defendant.
According to court documents obtained by PUNCH Online, the prosecution alleged that on February 13, 2026, during an appearance on Prime Time aired on Arise TV in Abuja, El-Rufai admitted that he and others unlawfully intercepted Ribadu’s telephone communications.
In the first count, the Federal Government argued that the alleged admission constitutes an offence punishable under Section 12(1) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Amendment Act, 2024.
The second count alleged that El-Rufai acknowledged knowing and associating with individuals involved in the unlawful interception but failed to report them to relevant security agencies, contrary to Section 27(b) of the Cybercrimes Amendment Act, 2024.
The third count further claimed that El-Rufai and others still at large, sometime in 2026 in Abuja, used technical equipment or systems to unlawfully intercept the NSA’s phone communications. Prosecutors contend that the alleged act compromised public safety and national security, in violation of Section 131(2) of the Nigerian Communications Act, 2003.
Further details are expected as the case progresses.
