Popular Lawyer Explains Why FG Has No Interest in Prosecuting El-Rufai
- Human rights lawyer Inibehe Effiong said the federal government showed no genuine intention to prosecute former Kaduna governor Nasir El-Rufai
- He argued that the charges filed lacked critical investigative details expected in a serious criminal prosecution
- The case was linked to El-Rufai’s public claims about the interception of the National Security Adviser’s phone communications
Human rights lawyer Inibehe Effiong has said the federal government is not genuinely interested in prosecuting former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai, despite the cybercrime charges filed against him.
Effiong made the assertion on Tuesday while speaking on Channels TV, where he questioned the seriousness of the case instituted by the federal government.
Source: Twitter
El-Rufai, 66, is facing allegations bordering on the unlawful interception of phone communications belonging to the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.
Inibehe faults FG over weak prosecution
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/99/2026, was filed on Monday, just days after El-Rufai claimed during a televised interview that the NSA’s phone conversation was intercepted and that he heard instructions being issued for his detention.
Effiong argued that the timing and content of the charges suggested a lack of commitment to diligent prosecution.
“I am telling Nigerians that the Federal Government of Nigeria has no interest in prosecuting Nasiru El-Rufai on this issue. There are no interested in prosecuting him,” he said.
According to the lawyer, the charge sheet filed through the Department of State Services lacked essential details expected in a serious criminal case.
He listed questions that were unanswered by investigators, including the nature of the alleged equipment, how it was acquired, where it was kept, and who had access to it.
Source: Twitter
El-Rufai cybercrime charges spark legal debate
Court documents show that prosecutors relied on statements El-Rufai made during an appearance on Arise TV on February 13.
The first count alleged that he admitted to participating in the interception of Ribadu’s communications, an act said to contravene Section 12(1) of the Cybercrimes Act as amended in 2024.
A second count accused him of failing to report an individual he allegedly knew was involved in the interception, contrary to Section 27(b) of the same law. The third count cited provisions of the Nigerian Communications Act, 2003, alleging actions that compromised national security.
No date has been fixed for El-Rufai’s arraignment.
El-Rufai was a prominent supporter of President Bola Tinubu during the 2023 election cycle under the All Progressives Congress. Their relationship later deteriorated after his proposed ministerial appointment did not materialise.
The former governor has since aligned with the opposition African Democratic Congress, where he has pledged to collaborate with other politicians to challenge Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027.
El-Rufai speaks on why current gov’t fears his return
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the former Kaduna state governor Nasir El-Rufai had said influential figures within the current administration are uneasy about his return to Nigeria, arguing that opposition efforts to unseat the government are only beginning.
Speaking during an interview aired on BBC Hausa, El-Rufai said he publicly opposed the government from its earliest days and made his position clear without restraint.
Source: Legit.ng
