Forget Netflix—Nigerian politics just turned into a high-stakes spy thriller. While President Bola Tinubu is publicly cheering on his top security boss, Nuhu Ribadu, a massive legal war has broken out behind the scenes involving secret recordings, “illegal” hacking, and a former governor now facing serious charges in court.
The Big Endorsement
On Monday, President Tinubu traveled to Adamawa State to give Ribadu (the National Security Adviser) a massive shout-out. He called Ribadu “honest” and “courageous,” basically telling the whole country that he completely trusts the guy in charge of stopping terrorists and bandits.
The Drama: Why is this a big deal?
The reason everyone is talking is because of a giant beef between Ribadu’s office and the former Governor of Kaduna, Nasir El-Rufai. Here’s the breakdown of the chaos:
- The “Illegal” Recording: El-Rufai went on TV and claimed he knew the government was trying to arrest him because he “listened in” on Ribadu’s private phone calls.
- The Plot Twist: Instead of being intimidated, the government filed criminal charges against El-Rufai on Monday. They’re basically saying: “Wait, you admitted to hacking the phone of the country’s top security boss? That’s a serious crime.”
- Spy Charges: He’s now facing three charges under the Cybercrimes Act. The government says he used “technical systems” to spy on the NSA, which is a major no-no for national security.
The “Poison” Rumor
To make things even weirder, El-Rufai also claimed the NSA’s office was buying a dangerous, odorless poison called Thallium. The NSA’s office says that is 100% fake news and challenged him to prove it to the DSS (Nigeria’s secret police).
What Happens Next?
While the President is praising Ribadu for fighting bandits, El-Rufai is now heading to court to explain how he managed to “wiretap” a top government official. It’s no longer just a political argument; it’s a legal battle over hacking and national secrets.
