The Federal Government has filed criminal charges against former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, over alleged unlawful interception of phone communications.

The charge, marked C2/99/2026 and dated February 16, 2026, lists the Federal Republic of Nigeria as the complainant and El-Rufai as the defendant.

According to court documents, the prosecution alleges that during an appearance on Prime Time on Arise TV on February 13, 2026, El-Rufai admitted that he and others intercepted the phone communications of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.

In the first count, the government argues that the alleged admission constitutes an offence under Section 12(1) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Amendment Act, 2024.

The second count alleges that El-Rufai acknowledged knowing individuals involved in the unlawful interception but failed to report them to security agencies, contrary to Section 27(b) of the same Act.

A third count claims that El-Rufai and others still at large used technical equipment in Abuja in 2026 to intercept the National Security Adviser’s communications, an action the prosecution says compromised public safety and national security. The charge is brought under Section 131(2) of the Nigerian Communications Act.

No date has yet been announced for El-Rufai’s arraignment. He has not publicly responded to the charges as of the time of filing this report.