Federal Government Files Charges Against 𝗘𝗹-𝗥𝘂𝗳𝗮𝗶 O𝘃𝗲𝗿 Tapping Of NSA 𝗥𝗶𝗯𝗮𝗱𝘂’𝘀 P𝗵𝗼𝗻𝗲

The Federal Government has filed a criminal charge against former Kaduna State governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai.

The charge, marked C2/99/2026 and dated February 16, 2026, has the Federal Republic of Nigeria as the sole complainant.

In the charge, the Federal Government said on February 13, 2026, while appearing as a guest on Arise News programme in Abuja, El-Rufai admitted that he and others unlawfully intercepted the phone communications of the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu.

In count one, the Federal Government alleged that the admission amounted to an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 12(1) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Amendment Act, 2024.

Count two alleged that El-Rufai stated during the same TV interview that he knew and related with individuals who unlawfully intercepted Ribadu’s phone communications but failed to report them to relevant security agencies, contrary to Section 27(b) of the Cybercrimes Amendment Act, 2024.

The third count also claimed that El-Rufai and others still at large, sometime in 2026 in Abuja, used technical equipment or systems to unlawfully intercept the National Security Adviser’s phone communications, an act said to have compromised public safety and national security, contrary to Section 131(2) of the Nigerian Communications Act, 2003.