The Department of State Services (DSS) has arraigned former Kaduna State governor, Nasir el-Rufai, before a federal high court in Abuja over allegations of unlawfully accessing the telephone conversation of 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 filed by the DSS. At the start of proceedings, the prosecution informed the court that the initial three-count charge had been expanded to five counts, prompting the presiding judge, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, to strike out the earlier charge.

The former governor pleaded not guilty to all counts.

Following his plea, counsel to the DSS, Oluwole Aladeloye, requested that the court fix a date for trial. However, el-Rufai’s lawyer, Oluwole Iyamu, opposed the move, stating that he needed time to properly consult with his client, who he said had been in the custody of multiple security agencies.

Iyamu also told the court that a bail application had been filed earlier in February, alongside a recent further affidavit. Justice Abdulmalik, however, noted that the additional filing was not in the court’s records and criticised the defence for failing to properly submit the document. She also cautioned against what she described as unnecessary media activity in the courtroom.

The defence counsel denied inviting any camera personnel.

The court subsequently stood down the matter to allow time for the issue surrounding the affidavit to be resolved.

The case stems from comments made by el-Rufai in February during an appearance on a television programme, where he claimed that associates had intercepted Ribadu’s phone conversation. He alleged that the NSA had issued instructions for his arrest during the call, adding that such surveillance was not exclusive to government agencies.

Authorities have since taken up the matter, leading to the current prosecution.