The Department of State Services (DSS) will arraign former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai on February 25 over alleged cybercrime and national security breaches, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court (FHC) scheduled the hearing after the Chief Judge, Justice John Tsoho, assigned the case to her.
The DSS filed a three-count criminal charge against El-Rufai, accusing him of wiretapping the telephone lines of the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, in violation of Section 12(1) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Amendment Act, 2024.
The second count alleges that on February 13, during an interview on Arise TV’s Prime Time Programme in Abuja, El-Rufai claimed to know and associate with someone who unlawfully intercepted the NSA’s phone communications but failed to report this to the authorities, contrary to Section 27(b) of the Cybercrimes Act.
The third count accuses him and unidentified accomplices of using technical equipment in 2026 to compromise public safety and national security, creating fear among Nigerians by unlawfully intercepting the NSA’s communications. This is said to violate Section 131(2) of the Nigerian Communications Act, 2003.
The case, instituted by the DSS, is recorded as FHC/ABJ/CR/99/2026.
Separately, El-Rufai was detained by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Monday over corruption allegations and later granted administrative bail. He was subsequently taken into custody by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC). ICPC spokesperson John Odey confirmed that El-Rufai is in their custody as part of ongoing investigations.
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