By Maureen Okpe
The Federal Government has filed criminal charges against former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, over the alleged unlawful interception of telephone communications belonging to the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu.
Court documents dated February 16, 2026, show that the Federal Republic of Nigeria instituted the case at the Federal High Court in Abuja, accusing the 65-year-old of offences under the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Amendment Act, 2024, and the Nigerian Communications Act, 2003.
According to the charge sheet, the case stems from statements allegedly made by El-Rufai during an appearance on Arise TV’s Prime Time programme on February 13, 2026.
Prosecutors claim that during the live broadcast, the former governor admitted to intercepting Ribadu’s telephone communications.
The Federal Government argues that the alleged admission contravenes Section 12(1) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Amendment Act, 2024, which criminalises unlawful interception of electronic communications.
In a separate count, the prosecution alleged that El-Rufai disclosed he remained in contact with an individual responsible for intercepting the NSA’s communications.
The government contends that his alleged failure to report the individual to security agencies violates Section 27(b) of the amended Cybercrimes Act.
Another charge accuses El-Rufai and others said to be at large of using technical systems in 2026 in a manner that could compromise public safety and national security.
The prosecution further maintains that the alleged interception created “reasonable apprehension of insecurity among Nigerians,” contrary to Section 131(2) of the Nigerian Communications Act, 2003.
Legal analysts note that the case is expected to hinge largely on the interpretation and admissibility of the statements attributed to the former governor during the televised interview.