BREAKING: DSS arraigns Nasir el-Rufai for ‘intercepting’ NSA Nuhu Ribadu’s phone call

 The Department of State Services (DSS) has arraigned former Kaduna State governor, Nasir el-Rufai, over allegations of illegally accessing a telephone conversation involving the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu.

El-Rufai, who also served as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), is facing a five-count amended charge before a Federal High Court in Abuja.

At the commencement of proceedings on Thursday, the prosecution informed the court that the charges had been increased from three to five counts. Consequently, the presiding judge, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, struck out the earlier charge.

The former governor pleaded not guilty to all five counts.

Following his plea, counsel to the DSS, Oluwole Aladeloye, requested that the court fix dates for trial. However, defence counsel, Oluwole Iyamu, objected, stating that he needed time to consult with his client, who had been in the custody of multiple security agencies.

Iyamu also informed the court that a bail application had been filed on February 17, along with a recently submitted further affidavit.

In response, Justice Abdulmalik noted that the further affidavit was not in her records and criticised the defence for failing to properly file the document, warning against what she described as “Nollywood theatrics” involving camera personnel in the courtroom.

The defence lawyer denied inviting any media personnel. The court subsequently stood down the matter to allow the issue surrounding the affidavit to be resolved.

The case stems from comments made by el-Rufai in February during an interview on Prime Time, an Arise Television programme, where he alleged that Ribadu’s phone had been wiretapped, enabling him to overhear instructions allegedly given by the NSA to security operatives regarding his arrest.

El-Rufai claimed that while the government routinely monitors communications, others also have the capacity to do so, insisting that the alleged interception of the NSA’s call revealed directives for his arrest.