DSS Arraigns Nasir El-Rufai Over Alleged Interception of NSA Nuhu Ribadu’s Phone Conversation As prosecution expands charges to five

The Department of State Services (DSS) has arraigned former Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, over allegations of unlawfully accessing a telephone conversation involving the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.

El-Rufai, who also served as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), is being prosecuted on an amended five-count charge before a Federal High Court in Abuja.

At the commencement of proceedings on Thursday, presided over by Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, the prosecution disclosed that the charges had been increased from three to five counts.

Counsel to the DSS, Oluwole Aladedoye (SAN), told the court that the case was slated for the defendant to take his plea, adding that a further amended charge had been filed on April 13. He subsequently applied for the substitution of the earlier three-count charge with the amended five-count charge.

Defence counsel, Oluwole Iyamu (SAN), confirmed receipt of the amended charge and raised no objection, urging the court to strike out the earlier charges a request the court granted.

Following the reading of the new counts, El-Rufai pleaded not guilty. The prosecution then sought three consecutive dates for the commencement of trial.

However, Iyamu opposed the request, arguing that his client’s current custody under the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) could make access within that timeframe difficult. He maintained that consecutive trial dates would not be in the best interest of the defence.

Iyamu also reminded the court of a pending bail application filed on February 17. The court, however, noted that a further affidavit in support of the bail application was not in the case file and stood down proceedings to allow the defence to regularise the documents.