Former presidential aide Reno Omokri has strongly condemned former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, describing his alleged admission during a live television interview that a phone call was illegally tapped as "callous" and criminal.
In a series of posts on X (formerly Twitter) on Friday night, Omokri reacted to comments El-Rufai made during an interview on Arise TV. El-Rufai reportedly claimed that the phone of Nigeria's National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, had been tapped by someone who then shared details of a conversation in which Ribadu allegedly ordered his arrest or detention.
El-Rufai acknowledged that such interception is technically illegal but suggested it is a common practice, stating that government agencies routinely monitor calls without court orders, and "we also have our ways."
Omokri described the remarks as a direct confession to involvement in illegal wiretapping.
He stated: “Tapping a phone call without a court order is a crime. Admitting to it on live television is callous. Confessing that you were an accessory after the fact to unnamed individuals in the illegal tapping of a call is an open-and-shut case of your own culpability.”
The critic escalated his accusations, questioning the scope of such activities under El-Rufai's influence: “Who else has Mallam Nasir el-Rufai and his agents been tapping? Has he and his associates been helping terrorists and coup plotters to tap the phone calls of their intended victims?”
Omokri further linked the issue to El-Rufai's political ambitions, noting his earlier boast about unseating President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 elections.
He asked: “No wonder Nasir @elrufai boasted that he would unseat President Tinubu in 2027. Has he also tapped the INEC Chairman’s phone number?”
He raised concerns about potential vulnerabilities in Nigeria's electoral infrastructure, suggesting that if high-level communications like the NSA's could be intercepted, then systems such as the Independent National Electoral Commission's (INEC) IREV portal and BVAS devices could also be compromised especially amid calls for real-time transmission of election results.
Omokri concluded by taunting El-Rufai to continue speaking publicly: “Nasir el-Rufai, keep talking. Keep digging. Keep exposing yourself.”
The controversy arises amid heightened political tensions, with El-Rufai a former ally in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) now positioning himself in opposition to aspects of the current administration, including allegations of persecution and investigations into his tenure as governor.
The Presidency has also reportedly called for investigations into El-Rufai's remarks regarding the NSA's phone, with officials questioning whether he and associates possess wire-tapping capabilities.
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