Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court, Abuja Division, has adjourned the arraignment of former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, to April 23 over alleged unlawful interception of communications.
The case, instituted by the Department of State Services (DSS), centres on a three-count charge filed against El-Rufai following comments he made during a televised interview.
The charges stem from allegations that he unlawfully intercepted communications involving Nigeria’s National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.
The court had initially scheduled February 25 for his arraignment. However, El-Rufai was absent at Wednesday’s proceedings.
Counsel to the DSS, Oluwole Aladedoyin, informed the court that the former governor remains in the custody of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), where he is being investigated over alleged misappropriation of public funds.
Following this disclosure, Justice Abdulmalik adjourned the matter to April 23 for arraignment.
According to the charge sheet filed by the Federal Government through the DSS at the Abuja Judicial Division of the Federal High Court, El-Rufai allegedly admitted during the interview that he and unnamed associates listened to conversations from the NSA’s phone after it had been tapped by a third party.
While acknowledging in the interview that such interception would be technically unlawful, he reportedly argued that illegal surveillance was not uncommon.
The charge lists the Federal Republic of Nigeria as the complainant and Mallam Nasir El-Rufai as the sole defendant. The case adds a fresh legal dimension to the ongoing scrutiny surrounding the former governor.
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