Nasir El-Rufai fit remain in detention till April?

Di Department of State Servicse (DSS) fail to produce di former govnor of Kasduna State, Nasir El-Rufai bifor Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of di Federal High Court Abuja, on top accuse say e tap di phone line of di National Security Adviser (NSA) Nuhu Ribadu and listen to im calls.

Di matter suppose start on Wednesday wia El-Rufai suppose plead guilty or not guilty, but wen di court start sitting, di former govnor dey absent.

Oluwole Aladedoye, lawyer to di DSS tell di court say di defendant still dey for di custody of of di Independent Corrupt Practices and oda related offences Commission (ICPC), and di DSS no get any power over dem.

Aladedoye beg di court to grant dem adjournment so dat dem go fit produce di defendant for court.

Counsel to El-Rufai, Oluwole Iyamu no oppose di adjournment but e ask di court to grant im client bail.

But di DSS lawyer oppose di bail request as e tok say e dey premature, bicos di issue of bail no fit come up wen formal arraignment neva hapun.

Justice Joyce Abdulmalik agree wit di DSS lawyer and she refuse to grant di bail. She den adjourn di matter to April 23, 2026 for arraignment of di defendant.

El-Rufai bin tok for one TV interview say pesin bin tap into di phone lines of di NSA and na from dia im know say na di NSA bin order im attempted arrest.

Di former govnor bin claim say DSS officers wan arrest am for di Abuja airport wen e come bak from im vacation for Cairo, Egypt, but e refuse to follow dem sake of say dem no get warrant or letter of invitation.

Na wen e dey explain dis incident for di live TV interview, na dia e claim say im dey sure say na Nuhu Ribadu give order say make DSS arrest am. Wen di presenter ask am how e take know, e ansa say somebody bin tap di phone of di NSA and listen to im calls, and e claim say "govment dey do am all di time".

Na illegal somtin to tap pesin phone line witout valid court order for Nigeria, even though for national security reason, security operatives fit do am.

Meanwhile, tori from local media on Tuesday tok say El-Rufai don already file motion for court, and give 17 grounds make di dismiss di charges wey di DSS bring against am, bicos according to him, di so-called offences no dey known to law and e constitute abuse of judicial process.

Di charges against El-Rufai

Count One: "You, Mallam Nasir El Rufai, on 13th February, 2026, as you appear as guest on Arise TV Station Prime Time Programme for Abuja, witin di jurisdiction of dis court, bin admit for di interview say you and your cohorts bin unlawfully intercept di phone communications of di National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu and thereby commit offence contrary to and punishable unda Section 12 (1) of di Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Amendment, Act, 2024.

Count Two: "You, Mallam Nasir El Rufai, on 13 February, 2026, as you appear as guest on Arise TV Station Prime Time Programme for Abuja, witin di jurisdiction of dis court, bin tok for di interview say you know and relate wit certain individual, who bin unlawfully intercept di phone communications of di National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, witout reporting di individual to relevant Security agencies and thereby you commit offence contrary to and punishable unda Section 27(b) of di Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Amendment, Act, 2024.

Count Three: "You, Mallam Nasir El Rufai and odas still at large, sometime for 2026, for Abuja, witin di jurisdiction of dis court, bin use technical equipment or systems wey compromise public safety, national security and instilling reasonable apprehension of Insecurity among Nigerians by unlawfully intercepting di Phone Communications of di National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, wich you admit for interview on 13th February, 2026, on Arise TV Station Prime Time Programme for Abuja and you thereby commit offence contrary to and punishable unda Section 131 (2) Nigerian Communications Act 2003."

If di court find El-Rufai guilty of dis offences, di punishment for count one and two, according to di cybercrimes act na two years in prison or five million naira fine or both, while count three carry punishment of one year in prison or fine of N100,000 or both.

Meanwhile, El-Rufai still dey for govment custody sake of corruption accuse wey both. di EFCC and ICPC bin sama am.