The Department of State Services (DSS) has charged Nasir el-Rufai, former governor of Kaduna State, with intercepting the phone conversations of National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu. The case, filed at the federal high court in Abuja, contains five counts in an amended charge. El-Rufai faces allegations of unlawful access to private communications involving the NSA. The charges stem from purported actions while he was minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Court proceedings began with the reading of the charges against him. No plea was taken as the matter is at the arraignment stage. The DSS is prosecuting the case. Specific dates, times and technical details of the alleged interception were not disclosed in the initial report. The court has yet to schedule the next hearing.
El-Rufai is accused of listening in on Ribadu's phone conversation, though both men have held or hold high-level security roles meant to protect national secrets. If true, the act undermines the integrity of officials entrusted with safeguarding communications. Nigerians familiar with both figures may question the credibility of security protocols when such allegations emerge between top insiders. The case raises doubts about the boundaries of surveillance among senior government figures.
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