Court grants El-Rufai N100m bail over alleged Ribadu phone access

A Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday granted bail to former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, in the alleged illegal access to a telephone conversation involving the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.

Trial judge, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, admitted El-Rufai to bail in the sum of N100 million with one surety in like sum. The court ruled that the surety must reside in either Maitama or Asokoro districts of Abuja and must deposit the original Certificate of Occupancy of a landed property at the court registry.

El-Rufai, a former minister of the Federal Capital Territory, was arraigned in April on five amended charges bordering on the alleged unauthorised access to a telephone conversation involving Ribadu. He pleaded not guilty to all counts.

The case is part of an ongoing legal battle over allegations of unlawful interception and access to private communications, with the prosecution maintaining that the offence contravenes provisions of Nigeria’s cyber and telecommunications laws.

kenneth Athekame

Athekame Kenneth is a politics, economy, and finance reporter whose work is anchored in sharp investigative storytelling. He brings analytical depth to every piece, drawing on a strong academic foundation that includes a degree in Economics, an MBA in International Trade, and a minor in Petroleum Economics from Lagos State University, Ojo. His reporting blends rigorous research with a keen eye for hidden truths, delivering stories that illuminate power, policy, and the forces shaping everyday lives.