DSS to Arraign El-Rufai on February 25 Over Alleged Interception of NSA’s Phone

The Department of State Services is set to arraign a former Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, on Wednesday, February 25, 2026, before the Federal High Court in Abuja over allegations bordering on cybercrime and national security breaches.

The case, with suit number FHC/ABJ/CR/99/2026, has been assigned to Justice Joyce Abdulmalik by the Chief Judge of the court, Justice John Tsoho. The date has been fixed for the defendant’s arraignment.

The secret police had on Monday filed a three-count criminal charge against the former governor, accusing him of unlawfully intercepting the telephone communications of the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu.

According to court documents, the allegations stem from comments El-Rufai made during a live television interview on February 13, 2026. The DSS claims that while appearing as a guest on Arise TV’s Prime Time programme in Abuja, the former governor admitted to being aware of the unauthorised interception of the NSA’s phone lines.

The first count alleges that his statements during the broadcast contravene Section 12(1) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Amendment Act, 2024.

In the second count, the DSS accuses El-Rufai of failing to report an individual he knew to have been involved in the illegal interception of the NSA’s communications, an offence punishable under Section 27(b) of the same Act.

El-Rufai had claimed during the interview that he overheard Ribadu instructing security operatives to detain him. He linked this to an alleged attempt to arrest him upon his arrival at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport on February 12, following a trip to Cairo, Egypt.

The former governor was initially detained by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Wednesday in connection with an alleged N432 billion fraud case during his tenure. He was granted administrative bail around 8 p.m. that same day.

However, shortly after his release from EFCC custody, he was reportedly taken into detention by operatives of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission.