The Department of State Services (DSS) has arraigned former Kaduna governor Nasir el-Rufai before a federal high court in Abuja over allegations of illegally accessing the phone conversation of National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu.
Fresh charges filed in court
At Thursday’s proceedings, the prosecution informed the court that the charge had been amended from three to five counts.
Presiding judge, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, subsequently struck out the earlier charges and allowed the amended five-count charge to stand.
El-Rufai, who also served as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, pleaded not guilty to all counts.
What led to the case
The charges are linked to remarks made by el-Rufai in February during an interview on Arise Television’s Prime Time programme.
He had claimed that individuals aligned with him listened to Ribadu’s phone conversation, alleging that the NSA directed security operatives to arrest him.
“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,” el-Rufai said at the time.
He further alleged that Ribadu’s phone was tapped and that the information was passed to him.
Mixed reactions trail allegations
The comments triggered widespread reactions across Nigeria, with some Nigerians and political stakeholders calling for his arrest over the alleged wiretapping.
Others, however, argued that the former governor should not be singled out, accusing the government of similar actions against citizens.
Political tension in the background
El-Rufai, once a strong ally of President Bola Tinubu, has in recent months been openly critical of the administration and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
His arraignment has been described by opposition figures as politically motivated, though the federal government has denied any witch-hunt.
The case is expected to continue in court as attention builds around one of the most talked-about developments in latest Nigerian news and breaking news Nigeria today.