The Department of State Services (DSS) on Thursday arraigned former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai over allegations of unlawfully accessing the telephone conversation of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.
El-Rufai was brought before the Federal High Court in Abuja on a five-count amended charge. At the start of proceedings, the prosecution informed the court that the charges had been increased from three to five counts.
Presiding judge, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, subsequently struck out the earlier charges following the amendment.
The former governor pleaded not guilty to all five counts.
The case stems from remarks made by El-Rufai in February during an interview on Arise Television’s Prime Time, where he claimed that “someone wiretapped” Ribadu’s phone, enabling him to hear the NSA allegedly directing security operatives to arrest him.
Further proceedings in the case are expected as the court continues to hear arguments from both parties.
