•Nasir El-Rufai and Inibehe Effiong
Human rights lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, today said the federal government has no interest in prosecuting former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai.
El-Rufai, 66, faces cybercrime charges over the alleged unlawful interception of the phone communications of the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, reports Channels TV.
The case marked FHC/ABJ/CR/99/2026 was filed by the federal government yesterday, barely three days after El-Rufai said during a live interview that the NSA’s phone conversation was intercepted, and that he heard the NSA directing security operatives to detain him.
Weighing in on the matter during an interview on Channels Television today, Effiong said the Nigerian government has not shown seriousness with the case.
“I am telling Nigerians that the Federal Government of Nigeria has no interest in prosecuting Nasiru El-Rufai on this issue. They’re are not interested in prosecuting him,” the lawyer said.
Speaking further, the lawyer argued that the charges the government filed against the former governor through the State Security Services (SSS) does not have some particulars.
“A charge must have particulars. What is the name of the equipment? When was it acquired? Where was it kept? Who has access to that equipment? These are questions that a serious investigative agency has to answer. What is their attitude to it.
In the first count, the government alleged that El-Rufai admitted during an appearance on Arise TV’s Prime Time programme on 13 February that he and others unlawfully intercepted Mr Ribadu’s phone communications.
Prosecutors said the alleged act contravenes Section 12(1) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) (Amendment) Act, 2024.
In count two, SSS accused the former governor of stating during the same interview that he knew and associated with an individual who unlawfully intercepted the NSA’s communications but failed to report the person to security agencies, contrary to Section 27(b) of the Cybercrimes Act.
The third count alleged that El-Rufai and others now at large used technical equipment or systems in a manner that compromised public safety and national security by intercepting Mr Ribadu’s communications, contrary to Section 131(2) of the Nigerian Communications Act, 2003.
A date for his arraignment has not yet been fixed.
The former governor previously backed President Bola Tinubu’s emergence as All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate in 2023.
They parted ways politically, with El Rufai turning into Tinubu’s fierce critic, after the president’s intial move to appoint the former Kaduna State governor as a minister fell through.
El-Rufai has since joined the opposition African Democratic Congress (ADC), vowing to work with like-minded politicians to ensure Tinubu is not re-elected in 2027.
