Photo: El-Rufai said Nuhu Ribadu NSA’s Phone calls were ‘tapped’
By Didimoko A. Didimoko, Abuja
The Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday heard that former Kaduna State governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, admitted during a television interview that he and others listened to the phone conversations of the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu.
El-Rufia, a former Governor of Kaduna State had allegedly spoke himself into trouble during a live TV interveiw, when he claimed that he was privy to listening to the NSA’s Phone Calls.
The claim was made by lawyer and activist Deji Adeyanju, who appeared as the second prosecution witness in the ongoing trial of the former governor over allegations bordering on unlawful interception of telephone communications and offences under the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Amendment Act, 2024, and the Nigerian Communications Act, 2003.
Led in evidence by the prosecution counsel, Oluwole Aladedoye (SAN), Adeyanju told the court that he was at the television station on February 13, 2026, waiting for his turn to appear on a programme when El-Rufai granted an interview.
According to him, during the interview, the former governor stated that “we listened to the conversations of the NSA.”
Adeyanju, who appeared in court on subpoena, said he had known El-Rufai in his capacity as the immediate past governor of Kaduna State. He added that he had issued a public statement after media reports emerged that security agencies were planning to arrest the former governor.
During the proceedings, the prosecution played the television interview in open court. After watching the recording, Adeyanju confirmed that it was the same interview he witnessed and maintained that El-Rufai made the statement attributed to him.
The prosecution also tendered a video recording of Adeyanju’s own interview conducted at the same television station. The recording was admitted in evidence by the court.
The witness further told the court that he was subsequently invited by the Department of State Services (DSS) to explain what transpired at the television station.
According to him, he informed investigators that he was present when El-Rufai made the remarks on air and that, when pressed further during the interview, the former governor explained that another individual had carried out the phone interception and passed the information to him.
Under cross-examination by defence counsel, Paul Erokoro (SAN), Adeyanju clarified that he did not hear El-Rufai specifically say he hacked the phone lines of the National Security Adviser. However, he insisted that he clearly heard him say: “We listened to the conversations of the NSA.”
Responding to questions about the technical means through which the NSA’s communications were made and whether investigators had established which communication device was allegedly compromised, Adeyanju said those issues were outside his knowledge.
The prosecution also tendered an official gazette, which was admitted in evidence without objection from the defence.
El-Rufai is standing trial on a three-count charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/99/2026. The DSS alleges that he admitted during the television interview to unlawfully intercepting the communications of the National Security Adviser, failed to report those allegedly responsible for the interception to security agencies, and acted with others still at large in using technical means to compromise public safety and national security through the unlawful interception of Ribadu’s communications.
The alleged offences are said to contravene provisions of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Amendment Act, 2024, and Section 131(2) of the Nigerian Communications Act, 2003.
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik adjourned the matter until June 23 for continuation of trial.
