DSS Witness Claims El-Rufai Admitted NSA Phone Tapping On TV Interview

A witness of the Department of State Services (DSS) in the ongoing trial of former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has told the Federal High Court in Abuja that the former governor allegedly admitted during a televised interview that conversations on the telephone lines of the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, were monitored.

The witness, Barrister Deji Adeyanju, who appeared as the second prosecution witness, said the alleged admission was made during an Arise Television interview aired on February 16, the same day the former governor featured on the programme.

Adeyanju, while being led in evidence by prosecution counsel, Oluwole Aladedoye, told the court that El-Rufai stated during the interview that “we listened to the conversations of the NSA.”

He said, “I appeared for an interview on Arise Television on February 16, the same day El-Rufai made the confession on the same television.”

The witness confirmed that he knew the former governor as a public official and recalled issuing a public statement following reports that El-Rufai was to be arrested by security operatives.

The prosecution tendered the subpoena used to summon Adeyanju, which was admitted and marked as Exhibit G.

The court also reviewed the Arise Television interview featuring El-Rufai, after which Adeyanju confirmed the recording and the statements attributed to the former governor during the broadcast.

The prosecution further tendered Adeyanju’s own interview contained in a flash drive alongside a certificate of compliance. Both were admitted in evidence and marked Exhibits H and H1.

Adeyanju told the court that he was later invited by the DSS, where he was asked to recount what transpired at the television studio.

According to him, he confirmed to investigators that he was present when El-Rufai made the statements on air and reiterated that when questioned further, the former governor said someone carried out the phone tapping and relayed the information to him.

Under cross-examination by defence counsel, Paul Erokoro, Adeyanju clarified that while he did not hear El-Rufai explicitly state that he hacked the NSA’s phone lines, he heard him say, “we listened to the conversations of the NSA.”

When asked about the technical means through which the NSA makes calls, Adeyanju responded that such details were not within his knowledge.

He also said it was not his responsibility to know whether DSS investigators confirmed which device of the NSA was allegedly compromised.

Meanwhile, the prosecution also tendered an official gazette without objection from the defence, which was admitted and marked as Exhibit I.

The case was adjourned until June 23 for continuation of trial.

The DSS had filed a three-count charge against El-Rufai, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/99/2026, accusing him of allegedly violating provisions of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition) Act (2024) and the Nigerian Communications Act (2003) over alleged wiretapping of the NSA’s telephone lines.