Wiretapping: Abuja Court Dismisses El-Rufai’s No-Case Submission, Orders Defence Over Alleged Interception Of Ribadu’s Call

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

Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, in a ruling, held that the prosecution had presented sufficient evidence to require El-Rufai to enter his defence in the five-count amended charge filed against him by the Department of State Services, DSS.

The judge consequently ordered the former governor to open his defence and adjourned the case until November 25, 2026.

El-Rufai had filed the no-case submission after the Federal Government closed its case following the testimony of two prosecution witnesses.

Through his counsel, Paul Erokoro, SAN, the former governor urged the court to discharge and acquit him, arguing that the prosecution had failed to establish a prima facie case.

“The evidence presented by the prosecution was insufficient to warrant compelling his client to enter a defence,” Erokoro argued.

However, prosecution counsel, Oluwole Aladedoye, urged the court to dismiss the application and direct El-Rufai to defend himself, arguing that the oral and documentary evidence was sufficient.

Ruling on the application, Justice Abdulmalik agreed with the prosecution that the case should proceed to the defence stage, thereby rejecting El-Rufai’s request for discharge.

The charges stem from allegations that El-Rufai unlawfully intercepted telephone conversations linked to Ribadu.

The controversy followed an interview the former governor granted on Prime Time, an Arise Television programme, in February 2026, during which he claimed that Ribadu’s telephone conversation had been intercepted.

During the interview, El-Rufai said, “someone wiretapped” the NSA’s phone, enabling him to listen to a conversation in which Ribadu allegedly instructed security operatives to arrest him.

The allegation subsequently formed the basis of the DSS prosecution.

With the dismissal, El-Rufai is expected to present his defence on November 25.