The Department of State Services (DSS) has brought Nasir El-Rufai, before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court in Abuja.
He is standing trial over claims that he was involved in the wiretapping of telephone lines belonging to the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu.
The DSS told the court that El-Rufai allegedly and deliberately interfered with the communications of the NSA, Nuhu Ribadu, which it described as Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII). The agency said this falls under the Designation and Protection of Critical National Information Infrastructure Order, 2024, gazetted as Statutory Instrument No. 21 of 2024. It also pointed out that he allegedly admitted this on February 13 while speaking as a guest on Arise TV’s Prime Time Programme in Abuja.
According to the prosecution, the alleged act goes against Paragraph 7 (b) & (c) of the 2024 Order and is punishable under Section 5 (1) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Amendment Act, 2024.
El-Rufai pleaded not guilty when the charge was read to him. This led the prosecution counsel, Oluwole Aladedoye (SAN), to ask the court for three days to prepare for trial.
Earlier, Aladedoye also told the court that the case was brought under an amended five-count charge.
On his own part, El-Rufai’s lawyer, Oluwole Iyamu (SAN), informed the court that his client had been in the custody of the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) and urged the court to consider his bail application dated February 17.
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik adjourned the case to May 18, 19, and 20.
