Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has come under intense criticism following his claim that the phone of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, was secretly tapped, a disclosure that has triggered calls for an investigation by political figures and security experts.

El-Rufai made the assertion during an interview on Arise Television, where he alleged that he became aware of a purported plan to arrest him upon his return to Nigeria through information obtained from a leaked conversation involving the NSA.

According to him, the information was obtained after the NSA’s phone was allegedly intercepted, a development he acknowledged was technically illegal but claimed was not uncommon in political circles.

The statement has since sparked reactions from presidential aides and political stakeholders, who argued that the former governor’s admission on national television warranted a formal probe and possible prosecution.

The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, questioned whether El-Rufai and his associates possessed illegal surveillance capabilities, insisting that the matter should be thoroughly investigated and appropriate sanctions applied if wrongdoing was established.

Similarly, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Temitope Ajayi, said the former governor’s remarks amounted to an admission that an unlawful interception had taken place, adding that authorities might compel him to identify those responsible for the alleged act.

Security experts also raised concerns over the implications of the claim.

A retired Director of the Department of State Services, Abdulrasaq Salami, described the allegation as extremely serious, warning that any confirmed interception of the NSA’s communication would constitute a major breach of national security protocol.

Salami noted that compromising the communication of the country’s top security policy official could expose sensitive operational plans and intelligence networks, stressing that the issue should not be dismissed as mere political controversy but subjected to criminal and administrative investigation.

He recommended immediate forensic checks on potentially compromised devices and an urgent integrity review involving key security agencies, including intelligence and law enforcement institutions, to assess possible damage.

A retired senior military intelligence officer, who spoke anonymously, also warned that the situation could affect Nigeria’s intelligence cooperation with foreign partners, noting that breaches involving senior officials could weaken trust and disrupt counter-insurgency collaboration.

Meanwhile, former Kano State governor Abdullahi Ganduje also called for an investigation after El-Rufai allegedly linked him to the disappearance of Kaduna-based activist Abubakar Idris, popularly known as Dadiyata. Ganduje, in a statement issued by former Kano Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Muhammad Garba, dismissed the allegation as reckless and unfounded.

The controversy has reignited public debate surrounding the long-standing disappearance of the activist, an incident that had previously generated accusations against El-Rufai during his tenure as Kaduna State governor.