Presidency orders probe into El-Rufai’s claim of tapping NSA’s phone
The Presidency has called for an investigation into claims by former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufia, that he had access to the telephone conversations of the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu.
Presidential spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, made the call on Friday shortly after El-Rufai’s interview on Arise Television, where he alleged that he and others had listened to Ribadu’s phone conversations.
In a post on X, Onanuga wrote: “El-Rufai confesses to wire-tapping Nigeria’s NSA on TV. Does it mean that he and his collaborators have wire-tapping facilities? This should be thoroughly investigated and punishment meted out. El-Rufai is not too big to face the wrath of the law.”
During the interview, El-Rufai alleged that Ribadu ordered that he be taken into custody and claimed the directive was discovered after the NSA’s phone was tapped.
“Nuhu made the call and made the order that I must be in custody yesterday. (I know) he made the call because we listen to their calls; the government thinks they’re the only ones that listen to calls, but we also have our ways. He made the call; he gave the order. Someone tapped his phone and told me,” El-Rufai said, recounting his experience with operatives of the State Security Service (SSS) at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
When the programme presenter noted that tapping the NSA’s phone would be illegal, El-Rufai acknowledged this but alleged that the government frequently listens to citizens’ calls without court orders.
