Nigeria’s secret police have set Wednesday, February 25, 2026, to bring former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai before the Federal High Court in Abuja over allegations that he was involved in intercepting the phone communications of the country’s National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.
The Department of State Services filed a three-count charge against the former governor, accusing him of breaching Nigeria’s cybercrime and telecommunications laws. The case has been assigned to Justice Joyce Abdulmalik after being listed by the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho.
According to the charge sheet, the allegations stem from comments El-Rufai made on Thursday, February 13, 2026, during an appearance on Arise Television’s Prime Time Programme in Abuja. Prosecutors claim that he admitted during the broadcast that he and others unlawfully intercepted the phone communications of the National Security Adviser.
The Department of State Services argues that the alleged conduct violates Section 12(1) of the Cybercrimes Prohibition, Prevention, etc. Amendment Act, 2024. In another count, prosecutors allege that El-Rufai stated during the same interview that he knew and associated with someone who intercepted the adviser’s calls but did not report the individual to security agencies, an act said to be punishable under Section 27(b) of the same law.
During the live television appearance, El-Rufai claimed he overheard Ribadu directing security operatives to detain him. He connected the alleged directive to what he described as an attempted arrest at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja on Wednesday, February 12, 2026, after returning from Cairo, Egypt.
The arraignment comes days after El-Rufai was granted administrative bail at about 8 p.m. West African Time on Wednesday, February 18, 2026, following his detention by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over questioning in an alleged ₦432 billion fraud case, an amount that is about $288 million at an estimated exchange rate of ₦1,500 to $1. Soon after his release, he was reportedly taken into custody by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission.
With a former governor now facing prosecution over alleged phone interception involving Nigeria’s top security official, the court proceedings are expected to draw intense national attention when he takes his plea on Wednesday, February 25, 2026.