A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, on Wednesday, fixed April 23 for the arraignment of former governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, on allegation of cybercrime and breach of communication brought against him by the Department of the State Service.
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik adjourned the matter after El Rufai failed to appear in court.
DSS counsel, Oluwole Aladedoye (SAN), informed the court that the former governor was still with the Independent Corrupt and Practices Commission for investigation on other matters.
He said that DSS has no control over the sister agency, requesting an adjournment to March 23.
Although counsel to El-Rufai, Oluwole Iyamu, did not oppose adjournment, he vehemently demanded bail for the former governor.
He cited several authorities to back up the request for bail.
But the DSS lawyer vehemently opposed the bail request on the ground that it was premature, adding that the issue of bail can only be raised after the formal arraignment.
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik after taking the arguments declined to grant the bail request, adding that her court was not yet seized of the matter.
In the three-count charge, the Federal Government in the charge stated that El Rufai, on February 13, while appearing as a guest on Arise TV Station’s Prime Time Programme in Abuja, admitted during the interview that he and his cohorts unlawfully intercepted the phone communications of the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 12 (1) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Amendment, Act, 2024.
In count two, El Rufai was accused of stating on Arise TV Station’s Prime Time Programme in Abuja “during the interview that you know and relate with certain individual, who unlawfully intercepted the phone communications of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, without reporting the said individual to relevant security agencies and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 27(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Amendment, Act, 2024.”
In count three, the federal government alleged that El Rufal, and others 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 NSA 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.”
