El-Rufai Admits Tapping NSA Ribadu’s Phone, Alleges Plot to Arrest Him

F Former Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, has alleged that he authorized the surveillance of the telephone communications of Nigeria’s National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, claiming he had access to intercepted conversations.

El-Rufai made the disclosure during a recent interview while responding to questions surrounding an alleged attempt by security agencies to arrest him.

“Yes, we tapped the phone of the NSA, Nuhu Ribadu. I know it’s illegal, but we did it anyway. After all, government also does it. So, someone tapped his phone for us,” he said.

The former governor further alleged that the Department of State Services (DSS) was mobilised at the instance of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to abduct him, clarifying earlier confusion involving the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

According to him, his legal team initially believed the EFCC was responsible for the planned action, but subsequent findings indicated otherwise.

“It wasn’t the EFCC,” El-Rufai stated. “The EFCC had written to me while I was away, requesting a meeting over certain issues. My lawyers responded that I was out of the country on annual vacation and would communicate my return date. We later wrote to inform them that I would visit their office at 10 a.m. on February 16, after celebrating my birthday.”

He alleged that the ICPC had instead procured the DSS to effect his arrest and hand him over.

“This is a modus operandi of the ICPC that has increasingly become a personal tool of Nuhu Ribadu,” he claimed. “Nuhu made the call and gave the order that I must be in custody. How do I know? Because we listen to their calls. The government thinks they are the only ones who listen to calls, but we also have our ways.”

El-Rufai’s allegations have sparked fresh controversy within political and security circles, particularly given the sensitive nature of claims involving illegal surveillance and inter-agency coordination.

As of the time of filing this report, neither the Office of the National Security Adviser nor the DSS, ICPC, or EFCC had issued an official response to the claims.