Former Kaduna state governor Nasir El-Rufai is facing mounting criticism after saying the phone of Nigeria’s national security adviser was tapped to obtain information about an alleged plan to arrest him.
El-Rufai made the remarks Friday during an appearance on Arise TV, where he claimed he learned of a plan to detain him upon his return to Nigeria through a leaked conversation from the phone of National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu.
“Ribadu made the call because we listened to their calls,” El-Rufai said. “The government thinks that they’re the only ones that listen to calls. But we also have our ways. … Someone tapped his phone and told us that he gave the order.”
When the interviewer noted that such interception would be illegal, El-Rufai acknowledged it was “technically illegal” but alleged that authorities routinely monitor calls without court orders.
His comments have drawn sharp reactions from presidential aides and security experts, who say the claim, if true, would amount to a serious breach of national security.
Bayo Onanuga, special adviser to President Bola Tinubu on information and strategy, wrote on X that El-Rufai had “confessed to wire-tapping Nigeria’s NSA on TV” and called for a thorough investigation.
Temitope Ajayi, senior special assistant to the president on media and publicity, also questioned the legality of the alleged interception and suggested El-Rufai should be asked to identify those responsible.
A retired director of Nigeria’s Department of State Services, Abdulrasaq Salami, described the allegation as “extremely grave.”
“A confirmed admission that the NSA’s phone was tapped would be a grave breach of national security protocol,” Salami said, warning that such interception could expose operational plans, sources and methods.
He said the matter required criminal and administrative investigation and called for forensic reviews of potentially compromised devices and accounts.
A retired senior military intelligence officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to comment publicly, said the implications could extend to Nigeria’s international security partnerships.
“Once a senior official’s conversations have been monitored, allies and assets may be endangered and adversaries can exploit exposed patterns,” he said, adding that intelligence-sharing partners such as the United States could reassess cooperation if sensitive channels were deemed insecure.
Security analyst Kabiru Adamu said while the technology to intercept high-level communications exists, it is typically restricted to governments and specialized intelligence actors.
“The technology to do that is available, but it’s highly sophisticated,” he said, adding that any confirmed unlawful interception could trigger a probe.
Adamu also warned that the issue could heighten political tensions ahead of the 2027 general elections, especially if any investigation is perceived as politically motivated.
Constitutional lawyer AbdulAzeez Rahman said unlawful interception of telephone communications violates Section 37 of Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution, which guarantees the privacy of citizens’ communications.
He cited the Nigerian Communications Act of 2003 and the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act of 2015, which criminalize unauthorized interception except under lawful authority or court order. Evidence obtained through illegal surveillance may also be inadmissible in court, he said.
The controversy has also revived debate over the 2019 disappearance of Kaduna-based activist Abubakar Idris, popularly known as Dadiyata. During the television interview, El-Rufai alleged that a police officer had confessed that operatives were sent from Kano to abduct the activist.
Abdullahi Ganduje, former Kano state governor, denied any involvement. In a statement issued by a former Kano commissioner for information, Ganduje described the allegation as “reckless” and said the incident occurred in Kaduna, where El-Rufai was governor at the time.
Ganduje called for El-Rufai’s claims to be scrutinized and supported by verifiable evidence, warning against politicizing a sensitive and unresolved case.
The presidency has not announced any formal investigation into El-Rufai’s statements as of Sunday.
