₦airaland Forum

The trial of former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, over alleged treason and breach of national security resumed on Tuesday at the Federal High Court in Abuja.

At the sitting, a prosecution witness told the court that the National Security Adviser and the chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission confirmed the authenticity of a conversation allegedly referenced by El-Rufai during a television interview.

The prosecution played before the court a 43-minute interview granted by El-Rufai on Arise Television, during which he allegedly claimed that a private conversation involving the NSA, Nuhu Ribadu, had been intercepted and forwarded to him.

The former Kaduna State Governor is facing an amended five-count charge over alleged unlawful interception of communications involving the NSA and alleged threats to national security.

The Federal Government, through the Department of State Service, accused the former governor of unlawfully intercepting communications contrary to the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Amendment Act, 2024.

According to the witness, investigators subsequently interviewed Ribadu, who reportedly confirmed that the conversation referenced by El-Rufai took place between him and the ICPC chairman.

The witness added that the ICPC chairman also confirmed the discussion after portions of the interview were played to him.

In the broadcast played in court, El-Rufai allegedly defended the interception by arguing that governments routinely monitor communications.

The prosecution further told the court that the programme’s anchor, Charles Aniagolu, activist-lawyer, Deji Adeyanju, and a cameraman attached to the station were invited for questioning as part of the investigations.

Investigators said Aniagolu confirmed that El-Rufai admitted during the interview that someone intercepted the conversation and sent it to him, while also insisting that such practices were common among governments.

Statements obtained from Aniagolu and Adeyanju were admitted in evidence as Exhibits C, C1 and E without objection from the defence.

Another statement made by an Arise TV cameraman, Ugochukwu Agalayana, was admitted as Exhibit D after he confirmed setting up the recording equipment used for the interview, although he told investigators he did not pay attention to the discussion.

The prosecution witness stated that investigators concluded from the interview that El-Rufai made what they described as an “open confession” concerning the interception of the NSA’s conversation.

He added that the investigation team considered the act capable of undermining national security and subsequently recommended the former governor’s prosecution.

A preliminary investigation report tendered by the prosecution was admitted as Exhibit F.

However, under cross-examination by defence counsel, Chief Paul Erokoro (SAN), the witness admitted that investigators neither examined any communication devices belonging to the NSA nor obtained IP addresses or conducted forensic analysis relating to the alleged interception.

The witness, however, maintained that such steps became unnecessary after Ribadu reportedly confirmed the authenticity of the conversation referenced during the interview.

He also agreed that El-Rufai never expressly stated during the interview that he personally carried out the interception.

The witness nevertheless insisted that the former governor repeatedly stood by the claim that the conversation had been tapped and forwarded to him.

When asked whether El-Rufai could merely have been making political boasts during a heated television appearance, the witness said he regarded the former governor as a man of integrity and believed he meant what he said.

Following the conclusion of cross-examination, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik adjourned further hearing in the case till June 22 and 23.

sleek214:
Tinubu is scared of this man. El Rufai has the ability to demarket Tinubu in the whole north

Richtaiwo:
Hmmm

Elrufai go explain tire.

sleek214:
Tinubu is scared of this man. El Rufai has the ability to demarket Tinubu in the whole north

WizardOfNG:
To me, he is f*cked unless Tinubu wants to give him a soft landing. Nigeria must change. We have to move away from our current pathetic structure where individuals walk around like Gods above the law and accountable to no one.

Richtaiwo:
Did Tinubu also force him to admit that he was intercepting the telephone conversations of the NSA? Or perhaps you don't know what it means to be intercepting the communications of a country’s National Security Adviser?

Owontime:
Well,maybe Hell Rufai shouldn't have tapped the NSA's phone line.

AMINDA:
Clowns. The only evidence that can prove Elrufai's wiretapping allegation is a digital forensics evidence/report of the NSA's phone showing a
bridge or port forwarding of cell traffic or an unidentified hop in the network with a LAC not on
the service provider mesh (IMSI catcher). If the court accepts Elrufai's confession into evidence based on his credibility then the court would likewise accept the claims of ONSA conducting illegal tapping of citizens. It is what it is when it comes to law.

RealityKings1:
That is not necessary.
he made an open confession of the act

sleek214:
Tinubu is scared of this man. El Rufai has the ability to demarket Tinubu in the whole north

AMINDA:
Open confession to what crime? Prove that a crime was committed and by whom. An individual cannot be forced to testify against himself.

RealityKings1:
You have no idea what you are saying.
He and his co-conspirators will explain better soon.

AMINDA:
Clowns. The only evidence that can prove Elrufai's wiretapping allegation is a digital forensics evidence/report of the NSA's phone showing a
bridge or port forwarding of cell traffic or an unidentified hop in the network with a LAC not on
the service provider mesh (IMSI catcher). If the court accepts Elrufai's confession into evidence based on his credibility then the court would likewise accept the claims of ONSA conducting illegal tapping of citizens. It is what it is when it comes to law.