Court grants El-Rufai N100 million bail over alleged interception of Ribadu’s calls

Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai has been granted N100 million bail by a Federal High Court in Abuja over allegations bordering on unlawful interception of communications linked to National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu.

The ruling was delivered on Monday, May 18, by Justice Joyce Abdulmalik at the Federal High Court in Abuja during proceedings in the case filed against the former Kaduna State governor by Nigeria’s Department of State Services (DSS).

The charges stem from comments El-Rufai made during an interview on Arise News in February 2026, where he claimed he learned of an alleged plan to arrest him after listening to a call allegedly tapped from the National Security Adviser.

What the ruling is saying

Aside from the N100 million bail, Justice Abdulmalik imposed a series of stringent conditions that El-Rufai must meet before perfecting the bail.

• The court ruled that the defendant must provide one surety in like sum, who must reside in either Maitama or Asokoro districts of Abuja. The surety is also required to deposit the original Certificate of Occupancy of a landed property with the court registry.
• In addition, the surety must be a federal civil servant not below Grade Level 17 and provide evidence of salary payments for at least three months, backed by a verification letter from the manager of a bank within the jurisdiction of the court.

The court further ordered the surety to depose to an affidavit of means, enter into a bail bond, and submit a recent passport photograph to the court registry.

As part of the conditions, El-Rufai was ordered to surrender all valid international passports to the court. The judge also directed the defendant to submit a verification letter from the surety’s department alongside a tax clearance certificate covering the last six months.

• Justice Abdulmalik additionally ordered El-Rufai to report to the headquarters of the DSS every last Friday of the month by 10 a.m. to sign an attendance register pending the conclusion of the trial.
• The judge warned that failure to comply with any of the conditions would result in an automatic revocation of the bail.

The court also directed the defendant to submit a letter of attestation from the Chairman of the Kaduna State Traditional Council and ordered an accelerated hearing of the case.

Backstory

Following El-Rufai’s comments during the televised interview, the DSS legal team filed a three-count charge against the former governor.

• In Count One, El-Rufai was accused of admitting during an appearance on Arise TV’s Prime Time programme in Abuja on February 13, 2026, that he and his associates unlawfully intercepted the phone communications of the National Security Adviser.
• In another count, prosecutors alleged that El-Rufai stated during the same interview that he knew individuals involved in unlawfully intercepting the NSA’s communications but failed to report them to relevant security agencies, contrary to Section 27(b) of the same Act.
• In the third count, the former governor and others said to be at large were accused of using technical equipment or systems capable of compromising public safety and national security by unlawfully intercepting the communications of the National Security Adviser.

The DSS said the alleged offence is punishable under Section 131(2) of the Nigerian Communications Act, 2003.

What you should know

El-Rufai, who left office as Kaduna State governor in May 2023, is currently facing other legal battles beyond the alleged phone-tapping case.

• The former governor is also facing charges filed by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission over alleged N579 million and $320,800 money laundering claims.
• According to the charge sheet, prosecutors alleged that El-Rufai received N289.8 million on two separate occasions in September 2020 and January 2023 as severance allowance, bringing the total amount to about N579 million — significantly above the legally approved entitlement estimated at about N20 million.

In separate counts, prosecutors further alleged that multiple foreign currency inflows were traced to the former governor’s Guaranty Trust Bank domiciliary account from different individuals, raising concerns over alleged illicit transfers and concealment of funds.

Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai has been granted N100 million bail by a Federal High Court in Abuja over allegations bordering on unlawful interception of communications linked to National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu.

The ruling was delivered on Monday, May 18, by Justice Joyce Abdulmalik at the Federal High Court in Abuja during proceedings in the case filed against the former Kaduna State governor by Nigeria’s Department of State Services (DSS).

The charges stem from comments El-Rufai made during an interview on Arise News in February 2026, where he claimed he learned of an alleged plan to arrest him after listening to a call allegedly tapped from the National Security Adviser.

What the ruling is saying

Aside from the N100 million bail, Justice Abdulmalik imposed a series of stringent conditions that El-Rufai must meet before perfecting the bail.

• The court ruled that the defendant must provide one surety in like sum, who must reside in either Maitama or Asokoro districts of Abuja. The surety is also required to deposit the original Certificate of Occupancy of a landed property with the court registry.
• In addition, the surety must be a federal civil servant not below Grade Level 17 and provide evidence of salary payments for at least three months, backed by a verification letter from the manager of a bank within the jurisdiction of the court.

The court further ordered the surety to depose to an affidavit of means, enter into a bail bond, and submit a recent passport photograph to the court registry.

As part of the conditions, El-Rufai was ordered to surrender all valid international passports to the court. The judge also directed the defendant to submit a verification letter from the surety’s department alongside a tax clearance certificate covering the last six months.

• Justice Abdulmalik additionally ordered El-Rufai to report to the headquarters of the DSS every last Friday of the month by 10 a.m. to sign an attendance register pending the conclusion of the trial.
• The judge warned that failure to comply with any of the conditions would result in an automatic revocation of the bail.

The court also directed the defendant to submit a letter of attestation from the Chairman of the Kaduna State Traditional Council and ordered an accelerated hearing of the case.

Backstory

Following El-Rufai’s comments during the televised interview, the DSS legal team filed a three-count charge against the former governor.

• In Count One, El-Rufai was accused of admitting during an appearance on Arise TV’s Prime Time programme in Abuja on February 13, 2026, that he and his associates unlawfully intercepted the phone communications of the National Security Adviser.
• In another count, prosecutors alleged that El-Rufai stated during the same interview that he knew individuals involved in unlawfully intercepting the NSA’s communications but failed to report them to relevant security agencies, contrary to Section 27(b) of the same Act.
• In the third count, the former governor and others said to be at large were accused of using technical equipment or systems capable of compromising public safety and national security by unlawfully intercepting the communications of the National Security Adviser.

The DSS said the alleged offence is punishable under Section 131(2) of the Nigerian Communications Act, 2003.

What you should know

El-Rufai, who left office as Kaduna State governor in May 2023, is currently facing other legal battles beyond the alleged phone-tapping case.

• The former governor is also facing charges filed by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission over alleged N579 million and $320,800 money laundering claims.
• According to the charge sheet, prosecutors alleged that El-Rufai received N289.8 million on two separate occasions in September 2020 and January 2023 as severance allowance, bringing the total amount to about N579 million — significantly above the legally approved entitlement estimated at about N20 million.

In separate counts, prosecutors further alleged that multiple foreign currency inflows were traced to the former governor’s Guaranty Trust Bank domiciliary account from different individuals, raising concerns over alleged illicit transfers and concealment of funds.