Bayo Onanuga, special adviser to President Bola Tinubu on information and strategy, has urged a thorough investigation into former Kaduna State Governor Nasir el-Rufai following his admission that he accessed an intercepted phone conversation involving National Security Adviser (NSA) Nuhu Ribadu.
In a post on X, Onanuga described el-Rufai’s disclosure as a “confession” and questioned whether the former governor and his unnamed collaborators possess wire-tapping facilities.
“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,” Onanuga stated.
El-Rufai, during an interview on Arise Television’s Prime Time programme, admitted that “someone tapped” Ribadu’s phone, allowing him to listen to a conversation in which the NSA allegedly ordered his arrest. While acknowledging the action was illegal, he claimed that government agencies routinely engage in similar practices without court orders.
“The government thinks they are the only ones that listen to calls, but we also have our ways,” el-Rufai said.
Onanuga’s call for an investigation reinforces concerns over legality and accountability, emphasizing that no individual is above the law.
Tags: Nasir el-Rufai, Bayo Onanuga, Nuhu Ribadu, phone-tapping, Nigeria
