El-Rufai Faces DSS Charges for Alleged Cybercrimes

Nasir El-Rufai, the immediate past governor of Kaduna State, is under legal scrutiny as the Department of State Services (DSS) has filed charges against him for alleged involvement in cybercrimes, specifically breaching the Cybercrime Prohibition Act of 2024 and the Nigerian Communications Act of 2003. The charges, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/99/2026, were filed on Monday in the Federal High Court in Abuja.

The DSS accuses El-Rufai of unlawfully intercepting telephone communications during an interview on Aris TV on February 13, 2026, where he allegedly admitted to wiretapping communications related to national security advisor Nuhu Ribadu. The charges include three counts: unlawfully intercepting communications, failing to report the interception to relevant security agencies, and compromising public safety and national security.

Each count cites specific sections of the Cybercrime Prohibition Act and the Nigerian Communications Act.