El-Rufai’s Absence Stalls Court Arraignment on Alleged Cybercrime

• Case adjourned till April 23

Alex Enumah in Abuja and Wale Igbintade in Lagos

Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed April 23 for the arraignment of former governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai.

The matter before a Federal High Court in Abuja, was on Wednesday stalled due to the absence of the defendant in court.

The Department of State Service (DSS) had last week dragged the former governor to court, over alleged breach of Cybercrime and Communication Act.

El-Rufai has been in custody of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC), since last week Wednesday, over allegations of fraud and abuse of office.

He was arrested shortly after he was released by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which took three days to interrogate the former governor and chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), over similar corruption allegations.

At Wednesday’s proceedings before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, prosecution counsel, Oluwole Aladedoye, SAN, however informed the court that the former governor was still with the ICPC for investigation on some matters.

He said that DSS has no control over the sister agency and requested an adjournment to March 23.

Responding, El-Rufai’s lawyer, Mr. Oluwole Iyamu, who did not oppose request for adjournment however, demanded for the bail of his client.

He cited several authorities to back up the request for bail.

Prosecution however objected to the bail request on the grounds that it was premature, adding that the issue of bail can only be raised after the formal arraignment.

In a short ruling, the judge declined to grant the bail request on the grounds that her court was not yet seized of the matter.

The judge agreed that El-Rufai can only apply for bail after the arraignment.

Meanwhile, the Judge has fixed April 23 for the arraignment.

The DSS had sued El-Rufai over his alleged involvement in wiretapping the telephone lines of the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu.

In the three-count charge, marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/99/2026, the DSS alleges that the former governor breached the Cybercrimes Prohibition Act, (2024), and the Nigerian Communications Act (2003.)

Counts in the charge read: “That you, Mallam Nasir El Rufai, adult, male, on February 13, 2026, while appearing as a guest on Arise TV station’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, Nuhu Ribadu and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 12(1) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Amendment, Act, 2024.

“That you, Mallam Nasir El Rufai, adult, male, on February 13, 2026, while appearing as a guest on Arise TV station’s Prime Time Programme in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this court, did state during the interview that you know and relate with certain individual, who unlawfully intercepted the Phone Communications of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, without reporting the said individual to 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.

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