The Department of State Services (DSS) has filed a three-count charge before the Federal High Court in Abuja against former Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, over his involvement in the unlawful interception of telephone communications belonging to the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The charge, marked FHC\/ABJ\/CR\/99\/2026<\/a>, was filed early Monday and accuses El-Rufai of violating the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Amendment Act, 2024<\/a>, and the Nigerian Communications Act, 2003<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In count one, the DSS stated that El-Rufai, during an appearance on Arise TV\u2019s Prime Time programme in Abuja on February 13, 2026<\/a>, admitted to unlawfully intercepting Ribadu\u2019s phone communications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThat you, Mallam Nasir El Rufai, adult, male, on 13th February, 2026<\/a>, while appearing as a guest on Arise TV station\u2019s 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<\/a>,\u201d the charge read.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The second count accuses the former governor of failing to report individuals involved in the illegal surveillance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThat you, Mallam Nasir El Rufai, adult, male, on 13th February, 2026<\/a>, while appearing as a guest on Arise TV station\u2019s 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<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The third count alleges that El-Rufai and others still at large used technical equipment to compromise national security.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThat you, Mallam Nasir El Rufai, adult, male, and other still at large, sometime in 2026<\/a>, 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<\/a>, on Arise TV station\u2019s Prime Time Programme in Abuja and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 131(2) Nigerian Communications Act 2003<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Passport Seized, Travel Plans Thwarted<\/p>\n\n\n\n In a related development, the DSS on Monday morning seized El-Rufai\u2019s passport shortly after he turned himself in at the headquarters of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Abuja.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A senior DSS official told Aminiya that the action was taken to prevent the former governor from returning to Egypt, where he had been residing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cEl-Rufai knew he was being investigated for Dadiyata\u2019s disappearance. That is why he planned to contact the EFCC and ICPC before returning to Cairo. But the seizure of his passport thwarted his plan,\u201d the source said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n