The Federal Government has filed criminal charges against former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El‑Rufai over allegations that he and others unlawfully intercepted the phone communications of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.
Court papers marked C2/99/2026 and dated February 16, 2026, list the Federal Republic of Nigeria as complainant and El‑Rufai as defendant, OBSERVERS TIMES reports, citing court documents seen by the publication.
According to the documents, the prosecution alleges that on February 13, 2026, while appearing as a guest on Arise TV’s Prime Time programme in Abuja, El‑Rufai admitted that he and others unlawfully intercepted the NSA’s phone communications.
The charge sheet sets out three counts:
• Count 1: The prosecution alleges El‑Rufai’s admission constitutes an offence contrary to Section 12(1) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Amendment Act, 2024.
• Count 2: It is alleged that during the same interview El‑Rufai said he knew and associated with individuals who unlawfully intercepted Ribadu’s communications but failed to report them to relevant security agencies, an act said to contravene Section 27(b) of the Cybercrimes Amendment Act, 2024.
• Count 3: The documents further allege that El‑Rufai and others still at large, sometime in 2026 in Abuja, used technical equipment or systems to unlawfully intercept the NSA’s phone communications, an act the prosecution says compromised public safety and national security and is contrary to Section 131(2) of the Nigerian Communications Act, 2003.
OBSERVERS TIMES obtained the charge sheet and court documents. More details are expected as the matter proceeds through the courts.
