The Federal High Court in Abuja has scheduled April 23 for the arraignment of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai on charges of cybercrime and unlawful communication interception involving National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu.
A Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed April 23, 2026, for the formal arraignment of former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, over allegations of cybercrime and the breach of the Communications Act. Justice Joyce Abdulmalik adjourned the proceedings on Wednesday after El-Rufai failed to appear in court. Counsel for the Department of State Services (DSS), Oluwole Aladedoye (SAN), explained that the former governor remains in the custody of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) for separate investigations, stating that the DSS has no control over its “sister agency.”
During the session, El-Rufai’s legal team, led by Oluwole Iyamu, did not oppose the adjournment but made a vigorous plea for his administrative bail, citing several legal authorities to support the request. However, the DSS lawyer vehemently opposed the application, arguing that a bail request is legally “premature” until a formal arraignment has taken place. Justice Abdulmalik ultimately declined to grant the bail request, ruling that her court was not yet “seized of the matter” and could only entertain such applications after the defendant has entered his plea.
The three-count charge against El-Rufai stems from a February 13 interview on Arise TV’s Prime Time programme, where he allegedly admitted to wiretapping the telephone communications of National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu. The federal government contends that El-Rufai and his cohorts unlawfully intercepted these private lines, an offense punishable under Section 12(1) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Amendment Act, 2024. While the former governor has filed a separate ₦2 billion suit against the DSS for alleged abuse of power, the court has maintained that he must first face the criminal charges brought against him.
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