The Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed October 26, 2026, to rule on a no-case submission filed by former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai in the alleged wire-tapping case instituted against him by the Department of State Services.
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik fixed the date after hearing arguments from both the defence and prosecution on whether El-Rufai should be called upon to open his defence.
El-Rufai was docked by the DSS on behalf of the federal government on a five-count amended charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/99/2026. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges which border on alleged unlawful interception of the telephone communications of the National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu.
The case stems from comments El-Rufai made during an Arise TV interview on February 13, 2026, where he alleged that someone intercepted Ribadu’s telephone communications and passed the conversation to him. He claimed the intercepted conversation showed Ribadu directing security operatives to arrest him at the airport on arrival from Cairo on February 12.
Adopting the no-case submission, El-Rufai’s counsel Paul Erokoro, SAN, urged the court to hold that the prosecution failed to establish a prima facie case against his client. He argued the evidence presented was insufficient to warrant him entering a defence.
However, DSS counsel Oluwole Aladedoye, SAN, urged the court to dismiss the application and order El-Rufai to open his defence. He argued the defence failed to adequately address Exhibit B, which the prosecution described as containing an admission by El-Rufai concerning the interception.
The DSS had closed its case after calling two witnesses, including a DSS operative and human rights lawyer Deji Adeyanju who testified as a subpoenaed witness.
The October 26 ruling will determine whether El-Rufai has a case to answer or whether the trial will end.
