During a court session in Abuja on Tuesday, the prosecution introduced evidence to support claims that former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai intercepted a classified conversation involving the National Security Adviser (NSA) and the Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC). The trial is being held at the Federal High Court.
The prosecution played a recorded 43-minute interview that El-Rufai gave on Arise News Television, in which he allegedly stated that an unidentified person wiretapped the NSA’s conversation and forwarded it to him. In the broadcast, El-Rufai justified the act by asserting that governments routinely monitor communications of others.
Testifying before the court, a prosecution witness revealed that following the interview, investigators interviewed NSA Nuhu Ribadu, who confirmed that the conversation referenced by El-Rufai indeed occurred between him and the ICPC chairman. The witness further stated that the ICPC chairman also verified the discussion after portions of the interview were played to him.
The witness added that the program’s anchor, Charles Aniagolu, activist-lawyer Deji Adeyanju, and a cameraman were summoned for questioning. Aniagolu reportedly confirmed that El-Rufai admitted during the interview that someone intercepted the conversation and passed it to him, while also insisting that governments routinely engage in such practices. Statements from Aniagolu and Adeyanju were admitted as Exhibits C, C1, and E without objection from the defense.
A statement from Arise TV cameraman Ugochukwu Agalayana was also admitted as Exhibit D after he confirmed setting up the equipment for the interview, though he said he did not pay attention to the conversation. Investigators concluded that El-Rufai made an “open confession” during the broadcast regarding the interception, which they deemed capable of undermining national security, leading to his prosecution. A preliminary investigation report was admitted as Exhibit F.
Under cross-examination by defense counsel Chief Paul Erokoro, SAN, the witness acknowledged that investigators did not examine any communication devices belonging to the NSA, obtain IP addresses, or conduct forensic analysis of the alleged interception. However, he maintained that such steps were unnecessary after the NSA confirmed the authenticity of the conversation. The witness also agreed that El-Rufai never explicitly stated that he personally carried out the interception, but insisted that the former governor repeatedly stood by the claim that the conversation had been tapped and forwarded to him. When asked whether the defendant might have been boasting as a politician during a politically charged television appearance, the witness responded that he considered El-Rufai a person of integrity and believed he meant what he said.
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik adjourned the trial to June 22 and 23 for further proceedings.