The Federal Government has filed a three-count charge against former Kaduna State governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, over the alleged interception of communications belonging to the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu.

Last week, Mallam El-Rufai claimed in an interview that he and other unnamed individuals listened to conversations from Mallam Ribadu’s phone after it had been tapped by a third party. While acknowledging that such interception is technically unlawful, he argued that illegal surveillance was not unusual.

However, the Federal Government, through the Department of State Services (DSS), has filed charges against him at the Federal High Court in Abuja.

According to the charge sheet obtained by Channels Television on Monday, the government stated that Mallam El-Rufai admitted that he and his associates allegedly intercepted the NSA’s phone conversations.

The charge reads:

CHARGE

COUNT ONE: That you, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, adult male, on 13 February 2026, while appearing as a guest on Arise TV’s Prime Time programme in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this court, did admit during the interview that you and your cohorts unlawfully intercepted the phone communications of the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, and thereby committed an offence contrary to, and punishable under, Section 12(1) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) (Amendment) Act, 2024.

COUNT TWO: That you, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, adult male, on 13 February 2026, while appearing as a guest on Arise TV’s Prime Time programme in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this court, did state during the interview that you know and relate with a certain individual who unlawfully intercepted the phone communications of the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, without reporting the said individual to the relevant security agencies, and thereby committed an offence contrary to, and punishable under, Section 27(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) (Amendment) Act, 2024.

COUNT THREE: That you, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, adult male, and others still at large, sometime in 2026 in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this court, did use technical equipment or systems which compromised public safety and national security, and instilled reasonable apprehension of insecurity among Nigerians, by unlawfully intercepting the phone communications of the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, to which you admitted during an interview on 13 February 2026 on Arise TV’s Prime Time programme in Abuja, and thereby committed an offence contrary to, and punishable under, Section 131(2) of the Nigerian Communications Act, 2003.