The Department of State Services (DSS) on Thursday arraigned former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, before the Federal High Court in Abuja over allegations of unlawfully accessing a telephone conversation involving the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu.

At the commencement of proceedings, the prosecution informed the court that the charges against El-Rufai had been amended, increasing the count from three to five. The presiding judge, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, subsequently struck out the earlier charges and ordered that the amended five-count charge be read to the defendant.

El-Rufai pleaded not guilty to all counts.

The case stems from remarks made by the former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory during a February interview on Arise Television’s *Prime Time*. In the interview, El-Rufai alleged that Ribadu’s phone had been wiretapped, enabling him to overhear instructions purportedly directing security operatives to carry out his arrest.

The matter has been adjourned for further proceedings.