The Nasir El-Rufai is set to be arraigned on February 25 before the Federal High Court in Abuja over alleged cybercrime and breach of national security, the Department of State Services confirmed.
The case, filed as FHC/ABJ/CR/99/2026, has been assigned to Justice Joyce Abdulmalik by Chief Judge John Tsoho. The DSS had filed a three-count criminal charge accusing El-Rufai of unlawfully intercepting the telephone lines of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.
The charges allege violations of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Amendment Act, 2024, and the Nigerian Communications Act, 2003.
Count One: El-Rufai is accused of admitting on a February 13 Arise TV Prime Time interview that he and others unlawfully intercepted the NSA’s communications, a violation of Section 12(1) of the Cybercrimes Act.
Count Two: He allegedly stated he knew someone who intercepted the NSA’s communications without reporting them to authorities, an offence under Section 27(b) of the Act.
During the live interview, El-Rufai claimed he overheard Ribadu directing security operatives to detain him, linking it to an attempted arrest at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport on February 12 following his return from Cairo, Egypt.
El-Rufai was granted administrative bail on Wednesday after being questioned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in a separate N432bn fraud investigation, but he was reportedly taken into custody by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission shortly after.
The arraignment on February 25 will formally commence proceedings in the case against the former Kaduna governor.
