Court Dismisses El-Rufai’s No-Case Submission in Phone-Tapping Trial

A Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday dismissed a no-case submission filed by former Kaduna State Governor Nasir el-Rufai in his trial over the alleged unlawful interception of telephone conversations involving National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu.

Justice Joyce Abdulmalik ruled that the prosecution had presented sufficient evidence to require el-Rufai to enter his defence in the five-count amended charge brought by the Department of State Services (DSS).

The judge consequently directed the former governor to open his defence and adjourned the case until November 25.

El-Rufai filed the no-case submission after the prosecution closed its case with two witnesses. He had asked the court to discharge and acquit him, arguing that the evidence presented did not establish a prima facie case against him.

Moving the application, his counsel, Paul Erokoro, urged the court to stop the trial, insisting that the prosecution had failed to establish grounds for requiring his client to defend himself.

However, prosecuting counsel, Oluwole Aladedoye, opposed the application and urged the court to direct el-Rufai to respond to the allegations.

Aladedoye argued that the oral and documentary evidence presented before the court was sufficient to sustain the case and require the defendant to enter his defence.

The judge upheld the prosecution’s argument and rejected the former governor’s request for discharge and acquittal at this stage of the proceedings.

The case centres on allegations that el-Rufai unlawfully intercepted telephone communications linked to Ribadu.

The allegations followed an interview el-Rufai granted on Arise Television’s Prime Time programme in February 2026. During the interview, he claimed that someone had intercepted the NSA’s telephone conversation.

El-Rufai said the interception enabled him to hear Ribadu allegedly instructing security operatives to arrest him.

The DSS subsequently brought the five-count amended charge against the former governor over the alleged interception and related offences.

The court’s ruling does not amount to a conviction. It means the prosecution has presented sufficient evidence at this stage to require el-Rufai to respond to the allegations.

He is expected to open his defence when the case resumes on November 25.