The Department of State Services (DSS) has arraigned Nasir El-Rufai, a former governor of Kaduna State, before a Federal High Court in Abuja over his alleged involvement in the interception of the telephone line of the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu.
El-Rufai pleaded not guilty when a five-count amended charge, marked FHC/ABJ/99/2026, was read to him before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik.
Proceedings were stalled midway into the hearing of the defendant's bail application when the judge noted that a document referred to by the defence lawyer, Oluwole Iyamu (SAN), was not in the court's file.
Upon request by Iyamu, which was not opposed by the prosecuting lawyer, Oluwole Aladeloye (SAN), the judge stood down the case for the defence lawyer to ensure that the document is properly placed before the court.
El-Rufai appeared on Arise TV in February this year, where he disclosed that he learned of an alleged plan to arrest him upon his return to the country through a leaked conversation from the NSA's phone.
He stated: "Ribadu made the call because we listened to their calls. The government thinks that they're the only ones that listen to calls. But we also have our ways. He made the call. He gave the order that they should arrest me. That technically is illegal. I know, but the government does it all the time. They listen to our calls all the time without a court order. But someone tapped his phone and told us that he gave the order."
