Court orders El-Rufai to enter defence in wiretapping trial

A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai to open his defence in the five-count amended charge brought against him by the Department of State Services (DSS).

Justice Joyce Abdulmalik handed down the ruling on Monday, dismissing a no-case submission filed by the former governor.

Justice Abdulmalik held that the prosecution had presented sufficient evidence to warrant compelling El-Rufai to respond to the allegations concerning the unlawful interception of telephone conversations involving National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu.

The court subsequently adjourned the matter until November 25, 2026, for the commencement of the defence.

Earlier, the Federal Government closed its case after the testimony of two prosecution witnesses. Through his counsel, Paul Erokoro, the former governor urged the court to discharge and acquit him, emphasizing that the evidence presented failed to establish a prima facie case. Erokoro argued that the material brought before the court was insufficient to compel his client to enter a defence.

The prosecution counsel Oluwole Aladedoye, urged the court to dismiss the no-case submission, insisting that the oral and documentary evidence placed before the court was substantial enough to sustain the charges.

The charges started from statements made by El-Rufai during an appearance on an Arise Television programme, in February 2026. During the broadcast, he claimed that someone had wiretapped the NSA’s telephone, enabling him to listen to a conversation where Ribadu allegedly instructed security officers to arrest him, which subsequently led to the DSS prosecution.