Breaking: DSS slams El-Rufai, files cybercrime charges over NSA phone tapping

Former Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, has been formally charged before the Federal High Court, Abuja, over allegations that he unlawfully intercepted the phone communications of the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu.

The charges stem from statements El-Rufai made during an interview on Arise TV Station’s Prime Time Programme on February 13, 2026.

According to the Department of State Services (DSS), El-Rufai admitted during the broadcast that he and other individuals, who are still at large, unlawfully intercepted the NSA’s phone communications, an action that allegedly compromised public safety, national security, and instilled a reasonable apprehension of insecurity among Nigerians.

The prosecution charged that the former governor knowingly associated with persons who carried out the interceptions without reporting them to the relevant security agencies, in violation of Sections 12(1), 27(b), and other provisions of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Amendment Act, 2024, as well as Section 131(2) of the Nigerian Communications Act, 2003.

The charges, dated February 2026, state that El-Rufai’s actions, as admitted on television, amounted to unlawful use of technical systems and equipment for unauthorized access to communications, an offense punishable under Nigerian law.

El-Rufai’s counsel, Ubong Esop Akpan, had earlier explained that the former governor received the EFCC’s invitation while abroad. He described the initial demand for his immediate attendance as “inherently illogical and impractical,” adding that it “defies reason, as it presumes instantaneous compliance from an individual outside the jurisdiction, without regard for logistical realities or legal fairness.”

Akpan further noted that El-Rufai had formally communicated with the EFCC since December 2025, assuring compliance upon his return. “Yesterday, we explicitly notified them that he would voluntarily appear at their office by 10:00 a.m. on Monday, February 16, 2026, specifying the precise place and time for addressing the invitation,” Akpan said. He condemned the previous attempt to arrest El-Rufai as “arbitrary conduct” that undermined procedural integrity and infringed upon constitutional provisions guaranteeing fundamental freedoms.

The prosecution team for the DSS includes Me Ernest, O.M. Owan Esq, U.M. Bulla Esq, C.S. Eze PhD, and E.G. Orubor Esq, all based at the DSS headquarters in Maitama, Abuja