Ex-Kaduna Gov Nasir El-Rufai faces up to 2 years in jail as DSS files cybercrime charges over his Arise TV admission of intercepting NSA Nuhu Ribadu’s calls
Nasir El-Rufai Charged with Cybercrime by DSS, Detained by EFCC Over ₦432bn Probe, Alleged Ribadu Phone Interception
Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai now risks up to two years in prison after the Department of State Services (DSS) filed a three-count cybercrime charge against him at the Federal High Court in Abuja. The charges stem directly from his explosive February 13, 2026, interview on Arise TV’s Prime Time programme, where he claimed knowledge of intercepted communications involving National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu.
The charge sheet, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/99/2026, accuses El-Rufai of unlawfully intercepting or benefiting from the interception of Ribadu’s phone calls, failing to report the perpetrators, and using technical systems that compromised national security and public safety.
Key counts include:
“That you, Mallam Nasir El Rufai, adult, male, on 13th February, 2026, while appearing as a guest on Arise TV station’s Prime Time Programme in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this court, did admit during the interview that you and your cohorts unlawfully intercepted the phone communications of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 12(1) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Amendment, Act, 2024.”
“That you, Mallam Nasir El Rufai, adult, male, and other still at large, sometime in 2026, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this court, with others still at large did use technical equipment or systems which compromised public safety, national security and instilling reasonable apprehension of insecurity among Nigerians by unlawfully intercepting the phone communications of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, to which you admitted during an interview on 13th February, 2026, on Arise TV station’s Prime Time Programme in Abuja and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 131(2) Nigerian Communications Act 2003.”
Conviction under Section 12(1) of the Cybercrimes Act carries a maximum of two years imprisonment, a ₦5 million fine, or both. The Nigerian Communications Act offence attracts up to one year in jail or a ₦100,000 fine.
In a dramatic turn, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) detained El-Rufai overnight after grilling him for about eight hours at its Abuja headquarters on February 16, 2026. The detention follows a court order granting extended custody for questioning over alleged financial impropriety during his 2015–2023 tenure.
Investigators are probing claims of mismanaging up to ₦432 billion in loans and state funds, including diversion, money laundering, and the unexecuted Kaduna light rail project where funds were allegedly paid to Indo Kaduna Marts JV Nigeria Ltd without delivery.
An EFCC source explained: “The court order allows us to detain him to enable him to make statements and clarify documents, agreements and instruments bearing his signature. How long he stays depends entirely on the court.”
El-Rufai’s arrival at the EFCC office sparked chaos, with rival groups of protesters clashing outside—some chanting support, others demanding accountability with placards like “El-Rufai Not Above the Law” and “Answer the Charges.”
The developments cap weeks of escalating tension, including El-Rufai’s recent airport confrontation where his passport was seized amid alleged arrest attempts, and his public accusations against Ribadu and security agencies.
As investigations intensify, El-Rufai—once a key political heavyweight—now faces multiple probes from DSS, EFCC, and potentially the ICPC, with public opinion sharply divided between calls for justice and claims of political persecution.
