El-Rufai Admits to Wire-Tapping NSA in Court Testimony

Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, the former governor of Kaduna State, has been implicated in a wire-tapping case involving the phone of National Security Adviser Mallam Nuhu Ribadu. During a television interview on Arise Television on February 16, 2026, El-Rufai reportedly confirmed his involvement in wire-tapping, as testified by Deji Adeyanju, a witness in the ongoing trial.

Adeyanju, who is the second prosecuting witness, provided evidence to Justice Joyce Abdulmalik at the Federal High Court in Abuja. He stated that El-Rufai admitted to listening to conversations on Ribadu's phone during the interview.

The prosecution presented a subpoena and a flash drive containing recordings of the interview as evidence. The court has adjourned the matter until June 23, 2026, as El-Rufai faces three counts of charges related to the breach of the Cybercrime Prohibition Act of 2024 and the Nigerian Communications Act of 2003.