The Department of State Services (DSS) has arraigned former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, over allegations of unlawfully intercepting a telephone conversation involving the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.
El-Rufai was brought before the Federal High Court in Abuja on a five-count amended charge, marking an escalation from the earlier three counts initially filed by the prosecution.
At the commencement of proceedings, counsel to the DSS informed the court of the amended charges, prompting Justice Joyce Abdulmalik to strike out the earlier counts and proceed with the new filings.
The former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Following his plea, the prosecution requested trial dates, but proceedings were briefly stalled after defence counsel sought time to consult with his client, noting that El-Rufai had been in the custody of multiple security agencies.
The defence also informed the court that a bail application had been filed earlier in February, alongside a supplementary affidavit. However, the presiding judge stated that the additional filing was not reflected in the court’s records, raising procedural concerns.
Justice Abdulmalik criticised the defence for what she described as a lack of due diligence and cautioned against turning the courtroom into a media spectacle.
The matter was subsequently stood down to allow both parties resolve issues surrounding the bail application.
The charges stem from remarks made by El-Rufai during a televised interview in February, where he claimed that associates had access to a conversation allegedly involving Ribadu directing security operatives to arrest him.
“He made the call because we listened to their calls,” El-Rufai had said. “The government thinks they are the only ones that listen to calls but we also have our ways.”
