Alleged Wire-Tapping: Court Directs El-Rufai to Open Defence

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, presided over by Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, on Monday dismissed a no-case submission filed by former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, in the ongoing trial over the alleged unlawful interception of telephone conversations.

In its ruling, the court held that the prosecution had presented sufficient evidence to warrant asking the defendant to enter his defence.

Consequently, the judge directed the former governor to open his defence next month.

El-Rufai is standing trial on a five-count amended charge filed by the Department of State Services (DSS) over allegations that he unlawfully intercepted telephone conversations linked to the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu.

In February 2026, during an interview on Prime Time, an Arise Television programme, El-Rufai said that “someone wiretapped” Ribadu’s phone, enabling him to listen to the National Security Adviser (NSA) instructing security operatives to arrest him.

After presenting two witnesses against the former governor, the Federal Government closed its case, following which El-Rufai filed a no-case submission.

Moving the application on Monday, El-Rufai’s counsel, Paul Erokoro, urged the court to discharge and acquit the former governor of the five-count amended charge.

Erokoro, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), argued that the prosecution had failed to establish a prima facie case to warrant compelling El-Rufai to enter a defence against the charges.

Opposing the application, prosecution counsel, Oluwole Aladedoye, urged the court to dismiss the no-case submission and order the defendant to open his defence.

Aladedoye argued that the oral and documentary evidence presented before the court was sufficient to require the defendant to answer the charges.

In a brief ruling after hearing arguments from both parties, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik ruled in favour of the prosecution and ordered El-Rufai to open his defence.

The judge subsequently adjourned the case until November 25 for the former governor to open his defence.