iDeemlawfulThe Federal Government of Nigeria has filed a three-count charge against former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El‑Rufai, over the alleged interception of communications belonging to Nigeria’s National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.
In an interview last week, El-Rufai stated that he and some unnamed persons listened to conversations from Ribadu’s phone after it was allegedly tapped by another party.
“He (Ribadu) made the call because we listened to their call,” the former governor told his interviewer.
He added, “Someone tapped his phone. The government listens to our calls all the time without a court order. Someone tapped his phone and told us that he gave the order.”
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El-Rufai defended his position, saying, “Government thinks they are the only ones that listen to calls, but we also have our ways.”
However, the Federal Government, through the Department of State Services, arraigned El-Rufai before the Federal High Court in Abuja.
According to the charge, the government said the former governor admitted that he and others allegedly intercepted the NSA’s phone conversations.
He was accused of committing an offence under section 12(1) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) (Amendment) Act 2024.
In count two of the charge, the former governor, who is a prominent member of a coalition of opposition politicians dissatisfied with the administration of Bola Tinubu, was alleged to have known that the NSA’s communications were unlawfully intercepted but failed to report it to security authorities.
It was also alleged that by using technical devices to intercept the NSA’s calls, the defendants threatened public safety and national security, and created “reasonable apprehension” among Nigerians, contrary to section 131(2) of the Nigerian Communications Act 2003.