El-Rufai to Face Cybercrime Charges on February 25

The Federal Government of Nigeria is set to arraign former Kaduna State Governor Mallam Nasir El-Rufai on February 25, 2024, on charges of cybercrime. The case has been assigned to Justice John Tsoho of the Federal High Court, with Justice Joyc Abdulmalik fixing the arraignment date.

The Department of State Services (DSS) filed three counts of criminal charges against El-Rufai following a statement made during a February 13 interview on Arise TV, where he admitted to unlawfully intercepting phone communications of the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu. The charges include violations of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Amendment Act 2024 and the Nigerian Communications Act 2003.

The DSS claims El-Rufai's actions compromised national security and public safety. Additionally, he was previously detained by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for related allegations of corruption amounting to ₦440 billion during his administration from 2015 to 2023.