Immediate past Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, is scheduled to appear before the Federal High Court in Abuja today following charges filed against him by the Department of State Services (DSS).
ENigeria Newspaper gathered that the former governor will be arraigned before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik on a three-count charge bordering on alleged cyber-related offences and breach of the Nigerian Communications Act. The case, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/99/2026, was instituted by the DSS earlier this week.
Ahead of the proceedings, security has been reinforced within and around the court premises, with operatives deployed to manage the influx of supporters and political associates who gathered in anticipation of the hearing. Access to the courtroom has been placed under strict control.
The charges are linked to statements reportedly made by El-Rufai during a televised interview on February 13, 2026, in which he allegedly referenced the interception of telephone communications involving the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu.
According to the charge sheet obtained by ENigeria Newspaper, the DSS accuses him of unlawful interception of phone communications, failure to report knowledge of such actions to relevant authorities, and involvement in the use of technical systems that allegedly compromised national security.
It reads, “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.
“That you, Mallam Nasir El Rufai, adult, male, on 13t 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.
“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.”
He is expected to take his plea when the matter is called.
