The Department of State Services (DSS), has arraigned former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, before a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja over allegations that he unlawfully accessed a private telephone conversation involving the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.
El-Rufai, who also served as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), is facing a five-count amended charge bordering on alleged interception and unauthorized access to sensitive security communications.
At the start of proceedings on Thursday, the prosecution informed the court that the charge has been amended from three to five counts.
Consequently, Joyce Abdulmalik, presiding judge, struck out the previous count.
El-Rufai pleaded not guilty to the five-count amended charge.
After El-Rufai pleaded not guilty, Oluwole Aladeloye, counsel to the secret police, requested for trial dates.
While Objecting, Oluwole Iyamu, counsel to El-Rufai, said he needs to engage with his client because he has been in the custody of multiple security agencies.
Iyamu told the court that the bail application had been filed on February 17 and that a further affidavit was recently filed.
Joyce Abdulmalik, trial judge, said the further affidavit is not in her docket.
The judge stood down the case so the issue of the further affidavit can be sorted.
Diaspora Digital Media reported that in February, during an interview on ‘Prime Time’, an Arise Television programme, El-Rufai said “someone wiretapped” Ribadu’s phone, allowing him to listen to the NSA instructing security operatives to effect his arrest.
“He made the call because we listened to their calls. The government thinks they are the only ones that listen to calls but we also have our ways. He made the call and gave the order,” El-Rufai had said.
“Someone tapped his phone. The government listens to our calls all the time without a court order. Someone tapped his phone and told us that he gave the order”.
