Former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai faces two years in jail for alleged cybercrime if found guilty of the offences he was charged with.
Yesterday, the Directorate of State Service (DSS) filed a three-count charge bordering on intrusion into privacy.
Also, he was detained last night after being grilled for hours by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged financial impropriety.
His appearance at the EFCC’s office was trailed by two groups of protesters – some in his support and others against him.
By nightfall, El-Rufai, once one of the most powerful figures in the political establishment, found himself facing the grim prospect of a jail term, multiple investigations, and a growing chorus of voices insisting that his public admissions had left him with “a clear case to answer.”
DSS slams ex-governor with cybercrime charge
The DSS filed a three-count criminal charge at the Federal High Court in Abuja over the alleged unlawful interception of telephone communications of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.
The charge, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/99/2026, was filed early yesterday and draws heavily from comments El-Rufai made during a February 13, 2026, interview on Arise TV’s Prime Time programme.
In that interview, he spoke of listening to intercepted conversations allegedly involving Ribadu and security operatives, statements investigators now say amount to admissions of criminal conduct.
According to the prosecution, El-Rufai admitted knowledge of the unlawful interception, failed to report those responsible to security agencies, and, working with others still at large, benefited from or encouraged the use of technical systems that compromised national security and instilled fear among the public.
Counts in the charge read:
That you, Mallam Nasir El Rufai, adult, male, on 13th February, 2026, while appearing as a guest on Arise TV station’s Prime Time Programme in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this court, did admit during the interview that you and your cohorts unlawfully intercepted the phone communications of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 12(1) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Amendment, Act, 2024.
That you, Mallam Nasir El Rufai, adult, male, on 13th February, 2026, while appearing as a guest on Arise TV station’s Prime Time Programme in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this court, did state 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.
That you, Mallam Nasir El Rufai, adult, male, and other still at large, sometime in 2026, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this court, with others still 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 National Security Adviser, Nuhu 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.
Section 12 (1) of the Cybercrime Act provides for a two-year jail term or N5million fine or both on conviction; Section 131 (2) of the Nigerian Communications Act stipulates a fine not exceeding N100,000.00 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding one year or both.
EFCC detains El-Rufai
The EFCC detained the former governor after subjecting him to about eight hours of interrogation at its Abuja headquarters.
The detention followed a court order obtained by the commission to allow investigators more time to question El-Rufai over a raft of allegations arising from a Kaduna State House of Assembly report adopted in June 2024.
Investigators said he is expected to account for over N21 billion, part of broader claims that up to N432 billion in loans and state funds were mismanaged during his eight-year tenure from May 2015 to May 2023.
An EFCC source said the former governor was grilled on allegations of diversion of funds, money laundering, and the accumulation of what lawmakers described as unjustified domestic and foreign debts.
The source added that the commission acted on a formal petition by the Kaduna State Government, supported by resolutions of the House of Assembly.
Part of the probe centres on the controversial Kaduna light rail project, for which substantial public funds were reportedly paid to a joint venture company, Indo Kaduna Marts JV Nigeria Ltd, but the project was never executed.
Assembly investigators recommended recovery actions and referrals of former commissioners of finance and accountants-general to law enforcement agencies.
The EFCC source said: “The court order allows us to detain him to enable him to make statements and clarify documents, agreements and instruments bearing his signature.
“How long he stays depends entirely on the court.”
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