Wiretapping: Court Orders El-Rufai To Open Defence, Fixes November 25 For Trial
A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, to enter his defence in the ongoing trial over the alleged unlawful interception of the telephone communications of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik issued the order on Monday while ruling on El-Rufai’s no-case submission, which she dismissed on the grounds that the prosecution had presented sufficient evidence to warrant calling on the former governor to defend himself.
Following the ruling, the court fixed November 25 for El-Rufai to open his defence.
The decision followed arguments by the defence and prosecution over whether the evidence presented by the Federal Government established a prima facie case against the former governor.
El-Rufai is facing a five-count amended charge filed by the Department of State Services (DSS) over allegations that he unlawfully intercepted telephone conversations linked to Ribadu.
The case arose from comments El-Rufai made during an interview on Arise TV’s Prime Time programme in February 2026, when he said “someone wiretapped” Ribadu’s phone, enabling him to listen to the NSA instructing security operatives to arrest him.
The Federal Government called two witnesses before closing its case, prompting El-Rufai to file a no-case submission, asking the court to discharge and acquit him without requiring him to enter his defence.
Moving the application on Monday, his counsel, Paul Erokoro, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), argued that the prosecution had failed to establish a prima facie case against his client.
He urged the court to uphold the application and discharge and acquit the former governor of the five-count amended charge.
However, prosecution counsel, Oluwole Aladedoye, urged the court to dismiss the application, arguing that the oral and documentary evidence presented was sufficient to require El-Rufai to defend himself.
In her ruling, Justice Abdulmalik dismissed the no-case submission and ordered the former governor to enter his defence.
The court subsequently adjourned the case until November 25 for the commencement of his defence.
