A Presidential aide has strongly criticised former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai following his claim that the phone of the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, was tapped and a directive exposed in the process.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Temitope Ajayi, expressed concern in a Facebook post on Friday, warning that El-Rufai’s admission amounted to acknowledging an illegal act.
He noted that the former governor’s comment may likely provide justification for his arrest.
“El-Rufai admitted on national television that someone tapped the phone of the NSA for him to listen to his conversation. When Charles Aniagolu, the interviewer, interjected that that was an illegal action, El-Rufai agreed to the illegality. By the time he is picked up to produce the person who illegally tapped the NSA’s phone, he would say President Tinubu is a ‘tyrant’ and persecuting him,” Ajayi wrote.
El-Rufai had alleged during an interview on Arise News that his associates intercepted communications linking Ribadu to a plan targeting him.
“Ribadu made the call because we listened 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 that they should arrest me,” El-Rufai claimed.
Acknowledging the illegality of such interceptions, El-Rufai added:
“Because that technically is illegal. I know, but the government does it all the time. They listen to our calls all the time without a court order. But someone tapped his phone and told us that he gave the order.”
The former governor also accused the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) of using the Department of State Services (DSS) as a personal tool of Ribadu.
“Subsequently, we found out that it was the ICPC that procured the DSS… and this is a modus operandi of the ICPC that increasingly has become a personal tool of Nuhu Ribadu. Nuhu made the call and made the order,” he said.
While sharply criticising the ICPC, El-Rufai commended the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for professionalism, saying he would honour its invitation.
“But the EFCC, I think, has shown itself to be more professional in this particular instance. And on Monday, by the grace of God, I’ll go and see them,” he said.
