•“We have our ways”: El-Rufai justifies tapping NSA’s phone as retaliation for government surveillance.
••Onanuga labels former Governor’s admission a criminal confession
The Presidency has called for a criminal investigation and prosecution of the former Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, following his televised admission that he gained unauthorized access to the telephone conversations of the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu.
In a sharp reaction on Friday, Presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga insisted that the former governor is “not too big to face the wrath of the law,” describing the act of wiretapping a high-ranking national security official as a grave violation that must be meted with appropriate punishment.
The controversy erupted after Mr. El-Rufai, appearing on Arise TV, claimed he was aware of a secret order given by Mr. Ribadu for his detention at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport because his associates had “tapped” the NSA’s phone. “The government thinks they’re the only ones that listen to calls, but we also have our ways,” El-Rufai boasted during the interview, a statement the Presidency now views as a self-indictment.
