Breaking…DSS drags El-Rufai to court over alleged phone interception of NSA Ribadu

The Department of State Services (DSS) has filed a lawsuit against former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, accusing him of unlawfully intercepting the phone communications of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.

The case was filed at the Federal High Court of Nigeria in Abuja under Charge No. 5026.

According to court documents, the DSS alleged that El-Rufai admitted during an interview on Arise TV’s Prime Time programme on February 13, 2026, that he and some associates unlawfully intercepted the NSA’s phone communications.

The suit contains three counts:

• Count One alleges that El-Rufai personally admitted to unlawfully intercepting the NSA’s phone communications, an offence punishable under Section 12(1) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Amendment Act, 2024.

• Count Two claims he knowingly associated with individuals who intercepted the NSA’s communications without reporting them to relevant security agencies, contrary to Section 27(b) of the same Act.

• Count Three accuses him and others still at large of using technical equipment to compromise public safety and national security, causing apprehension among Nigerians, in violation of Section 131(2) of the Nigerian Communications Act 2003.

  

The suit was formally dated 16 February 2026 and marks a significant escalation in the ongoing security and political controversy surrounding El-Rufai.

El-Rufai has previously made statements on Arise TV alleging phone tapping of the NSA, which the DSS claims forms the basis of its legal action.

The Federal High Court is yet to set a date for hearing the matter.