The Digest:
Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga has called for a thorough investigation into Nasir el-Rufai's admission that he accessed an intercepted phone conversation involving National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu. In an X post, Onanuga described el-Rufai's disclosure during an Arise Television interview as a "confession," questioning whether the former Kaduna governor and his "collaborators" possess wire-tapping facilities. El-Rufai had claimed "someone tapped" Ribadu's phone, allowing him to hear the NSA allegedly "order" his arrest. He acknowledged the action was illegal but argued the government routinely engages in similar practices without court orders. Onanuga insisted: "El-Rufai is not too big to face the wrath of the law."
Key Points:
- The call for investigation raises stakes in the escalating political feud over security agency conduct.
- It fuels debate on surveillance legality and equal application of law regardless of political status.
- El-Rufai faces potential legal consequences, while the government defends institutional integrity.
- This signals the weaponisation of both surveillance and anti-surveillance laws in political warfare.
- The timing, amid ongoing political tensions, intensifies scrutiny on both sides.
Onanuga's demand positions the government to investigate el-Rufai's admission, potentially leading to legal action if evidence of illegal surveillance emerges.
Sources: TheCable, Bayo Onanuga/X, Arise Television
