DSS To Arraign El-Rufai Wed, Feb. 25 Over Alleged Cybercrime, Breach Of National Security
The Department of State Services, DSS, will on Wednesday, February 25, 2026, arraign former Governor of Kaduna State and minister of Abuja Federal Capital Territory, Nasir El-Rufai over alleged cybercrime and breach of national security.
The Department of State Services, DSS, will on Wednesday, February 25, 2026, arraign former Governor of Kaduna State and minister of Abuja Federal Capital Territory, Nasir El-Rufai over alleged cybercrime and breach of national security.
The Federal High Court, FHC, presided over by Justice Joyce Abdulmalik fixed the date after the Chief Judge, Justice John Tsoho, assigned the case to her.
The DSS, had on Monday, filed a three-count criminal charge number FHC/ABJ/CR/99/2026 against El-Rufai over his alleged involvement in wiretapping the telephone lines of the National Security Adviser, NSA, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, contrary to the Cybercrimes Prohibition Act, 2024, and the Nigerian Communications Act, 2003.
In count two, the ex-governor was alleged to have, on Feb. 13, while appearing as a guest on Arise TV station’s Prime Time Programme in Abuja, did state during the interview that he knew and related with certain individual, who unlawfully intercepted the phone communications of NSA, without reporting the said individual to relevant security agencies, contrary to and punishable under Section 27 (b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Amendment, Act, 2024.
Count three alleged that El Rufai and others still at large, sometime in 2026, in Abuja, did use technical equipment or systems which compromised public safety, national security and instilling reasonable apprehension of insecurity among Nigerians by unlawfully intercepting NSA’s phone communications.
The DSS stated that El- Rufai admitted, committing the alleged offence during an interview on February 13, 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.”
El-Rufai had, during a live interview on the TV station, claimed he overheard Mr Ribadu directing security operatives to detain him, linking the alleged directive to an attempted arrest at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport on February 12 , 2026, after his return from Cairo, Egypt.
The former governor was detained by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Monday over corruption allegations but granted administrative bail at about 8 p.m. on Wednesday before he was immediately re-arrested and taken into custody by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC.
The ICPC’s Spokesperson, John Odey, confirmed the development in a message shared on a journalist’s Whatsapp group Wednesday night, saying simply that, “Malam Nasiru El-Rufai is in the custody of the commission in connection with ongoing investigations.”
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