A Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed a no-case submission filed by former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, ordering him to enter his defense against charges brought by the Department of State Services.

Case Background and Charges

Justice Joyce Abdulmalik delivered the ruling, stating that the prosecution had provided enough evidence to warrant a formal defense from the former governor. El-Rufai faces a five-count amended charge related to the alleged unlawful interception of telephone conversations involving the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.

The legal proceedings trace back to February 2026, following an interview El-Rufai gave on an Arise Television program named Prime Time. During the broadcast, the former governor asserted that a wiretap had compromised the National Security Adviser's phone. He claimed this interception allowed him to listen in on a conversation wherein Ribadu allegedly directed security personnel to execute an arrest against him. This public statement subsequently served as the foundation for the security service charges.

Legal Arguments

Following the closure of the Federal Government's case—which included testimony from two prosecution witnesses—El-Rufai's legal representative applied for a discharge and acquittal. The defense argued that the prosecution failed to establish a sufficient preliminary case to justify compelling the former governor to present a defense.

Conversely, the prosecution counsel strongly opposed the application. The state urged the court to dismiss the defense request, maintaining that the combination of oral and documentary evidence presented during the trial successfully established a solid basis requiring the defendant to respond to the allegations.

Agreeing with the prosecution, Justice Abdulmalik rejected the request for an acquittal and directed the trial to proceed to the defense stage. The court has adjourned the matter until November 25, 2026, at which point El-Rufai is expected to begin presenting his defense.