FG Files 3 Cybercrime Charges Against El-Rufai Over NSA Wire-Tapping "Confession" -

The Federal Government has officially filed a three-count criminal charge against the former Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, following his public claims regarding the unlawful interception of telephone communications belonging to the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu.

The charges, filed on Monday, February 16, 2026, at the Federal High Court in Abuja, stem from an explosive interview El-Rufai granted to Arise News on Friday, February 13. During the broadcast, the former governor alleged that he was privy to a phone conversation in which the NSA reportedly ordered his arrest.

The Charges Against El-Rufai: Hacking and National Security

The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/99/2026, was filed by the Department of State Services (DSS) on behalf of the Federal Government. The three counts include:

Count One: Unlawful interception of the phone communications of the National Security Adviser, an offense contrary to Section 12(1) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Amendment Act, 2024.

Count Two: Failure to report individuals known to have carried out the unlawful interception to security agencies, violating Section 27(b) of the same Act.

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Count Three: Deploying technical systems in a manner that compromised public safety and national security, contrary to Section 131(2) of the Nigerian Communications Act, 2003.

”The government believes it is the only one listening to calls, but we have our ways. He made the call; he gave the order.” — Nasir El-Rufai during his Arise TV interview.

Timeline of the Controversy

The legal firestorm ignited after El-Rufai returned to Nigeria last week, which was immediately met with a high-stakes confrontation:

Thursday, Feb 12: El-Rufai is briefly restrained by security operatives at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, where his passport is temporarily seized.

Friday, Feb 13: El-Rufai appears on Arise TV’s Prime Time, claiming he knew of the arrest order because “someone tapped [Ribadu’s] phone.” He admitted during the interview that such actions are technically illegal but justified them by claiming the government “taps our calls all the time.”

Saturday–Sunday, Feb 14–15: The Presidency, through spokesperson Bayo Onanuga, calls for an immediate probe, stating that El-Rufai is “not too big to face the wrath of the law.”

Monday, Feb 16: The Federal Government formally arraigns the former governor.

El-Rufai, who recently joined the opposition African Democratic Congress (ADC), has characterized the move as political persecution.

However, prosecutors maintain that the case is an “open-and-shut” matter of cyber-espionage and a violation of federal law.
The court is expected to announce a date for the commencement of the trial later this week.