The Department of State Services (DSS) has arraigned Nasir el-Rufai, former Kaduna state governor, over alleged unlawful interception of a phone conversation involving Nuhu Ribadu, the national security adviser.
El-Rufai, also a former minister of the Federal Capital Territory, was docked before a federal high court in Abuja on a five-count amended charge.
He pleaded not guilty to all counts.
Joyce Abdulmalik, the presiding judge, struck out the earlier charge following the amendment.
EARLIER PROCEEDINGS
The case stems from earlier charges filed by the federal government on February 16, 2026, accusing el-Rufai of unlawful interception of Ribadu’s phone calls.
On February 25, the court declined to entertain his bail application, ruling that it was premature since he had not yet been formally arraigned.
Abdulmalik held that bail applications can only be considered after arraignment and adjourned the matter to April 23.
Proceedings were initially stalled after the DSS failed to produce el-Rufai in court, citing his detention by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
BACKGROUND
The charges followed el-Rufai’s public claim that he became aware of an alleged plan to arrest him by listening to a phone call involving Ribadu.
Speaking on Arise TV on February 13, the former governor alleged that security operatives attempted to detain him at the airport.
“Nuhu made the call and gave the order that I must be in custody,” he said.
He added that the information came from a tapped phone conversation.
“The government thinks they are the only ones that listen to calls… someone tapped his phone,” he said.
El-Rufai acknowledged that intercepting phone calls without court approval is illegal but argued that such practices are common among state agencies.
