By Jonah, February 21, 2026
The Department of State Services has scheduled the arraignment of former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai before the Federal High Court in Abuja on February 25 over allegations of cybercrime and breach of national security. The case, numbered FHC/ABJ/CR/99/2026, was assigned to Justice Joyce Abdulmalik.
The DSS filed a three-count charge against El-Rufai, accusing him of intercepting the phone communications of the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, in violation of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Amendment Act, 2024, and the Nigerian Communications Act, 2003.
In the first count, the agency claims El-Rufai admitted during a February 13 Arise TV interview that he had unlawfully accessed the NSA’s phone lines, an act punishable under Section 12(1) of the Cybercrimes Amendment Act. The second count alleges that he knowingly associated with another individual who carried out similar interceptions without reporting it to the authorities, a violation under Section 27(b) of the same law.
El-Rufai, who spoke of an alleged attempted arrest at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport on February 12 following his return from Cairo, was previously granted administrative bail after questioning in an N432 billion fraud investigation by the EFCC. He was reportedly taken into ICPC custody shortly after his release.
The arraignment will provide the first opportunity for the former Governor to respond formally to the charges in court.
