A Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed a no-case submission filed by former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, who is standing trial for alleged unlawful interception of telephone conversations involving National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu. He is ordered to open his defence on November 25, 2026.
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, in a ruling on Monday, October 26, held that the Department of State Services (DSS) had presented sufficient evidence to require El-Rufai to defend himself against the five-count amended charge.
The ruling followed the closure of the prosecution’s case after two witnesses testified, with El-Rufai, through his counsel, Paul Erokoro, urging the court to discharge and acquit him on the grounds that the evidence presented was insufficient to establish a prima facie case.
However, prosecution counsel, Oluwole Aladedoye, urged the court to reject the application, arguing that the oral and documentary evidence before it was sufficient to compel the former governor to enter his defence.
Ruling in favour of the prosecution, Justice Abdulmalik dismissed the no-case submission and ordered El-Rufai to respond to the allegations when the case resumes on November 25.
The charges arose from an interview El-Rufai granted on Arise Television’s Prime Time programme in February this year, during which he claimed that Ribadu’s telephone conversation had been intercepted.
El-Rufai had alleged that someone wiretapped the NSA’s phone, enabling him to listen to a conversation in which Ribadu allegedly instructed security operatives to arrest him. The claim subsequently triggered the DSS prosecution.
With the court rejecting his no-case submission, El-Rufai is now required to present his defence against the allegations.
