‘Wiretapping’: Court orders El-Rufai to enter defence, pronounces listening to date

A Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed a no-case submission filed by former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai in his trial over the alleged illegal interception of phone communications involving National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, and ordered him to enter his defence.

Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, in a ruling on Monday, held that the Department of State Services (DSS), which is prosecuting the case, had introduced ample proof to warrant calling on the previous governor to answer the allegations. Blueprint reviews

The decide adjourned the case till November 25, 2026, for the defence stage of the trial, through which El-Rufai is dealing with a five-count amended cost.

The ruling adopted arguments by the prosecution and defence over whether or not the proof introduced by the DSS was ample to require the previous governor to defend himself.

The resolution means the trial will proceed past the prosecution’s case, but it surely doesn’t quantity to a discovering of guilt in opposition to El-Rufai, who has pleaded not responsible to the costs.

‘Why El-Rufai’s no-case submission failed’

El-Rufai filed the no-case submission after the DSS closed its case in June, having known as two witnesses to testify in opposition to him.

Through his authorized staff, the previous governor urged the courtroom to discharge and acquit him, arguing that the prosecution had failed to determine a prima facie case requiring him to enter a defence.

A no-case submission is an software asking the courtroom to terminate a prison trial on the shut of the prosecution’s case on the bottom that the proof introduced is inadequate to justify requiring the defendant to reply.

However, prosecution counsel, Oluwole Aladedoye, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), opposed the applying, arguing that the proof earlier than the courtroom was ample to maintain the costs and required El-Rufai to enter his defence.

During the proceedings, the prosecution particularly drew the courtroom’s consideration to Exhibit B, which it mentioned contained an alleged admission by the previous governor regarding the interception of Ribadu’s phone communications.

Aladedoye argued that the defence had didn’t adequately tackle the proof and urged the decide to reject the applying.

Justice Abdulmalik agreed that the prosecution had introduced ample proof for the trial to proceed, dismissing the no-case submission and directing El-Rufai to open his defence if he so wished.

What the prosecution witnesses informed the courtroom

The DSS known as two witnesses earlier than saying the closure of its case.

One was a DSS operative, recognized in courtroom by the code identify APC, who testified in regards to the company’s dealing with of the recording of El-Rufai’s tv interview.

The second witness was lawyer and human rights activist Deji Adeyanju, who testified after being summoned to seem earlier than the courtroom.

Adeyanju informed the courtroom that he was current on the Arise Television studio in Abuja when El-Rufai appeared on the Prime Time programme in February 2026.

He testified about statements made throughout the interview regarding the interception of phone conversations linked to Ribadu. The courtroom additionally considered a recording of the programme.

During cross-examination, Adeyanju mentioned he heard El-Rufai state, “we listened to their calls”. He acknowledged, nonetheless, that the previous governor didn’t expressly say that he had personally tapped the NSA’s phone.

The distinction is central to the defence’s problem as a result of the prosecution should set up the allegations contained within the cost by way of admissible proof.

The prosecution relied on the testimony and documentary proof to argue that El-Rufai had a case to reply, whereas the defence maintained that the proof didn’t meet the required threshold.

The decide’s ruling permits the proceedings to proceed so the allegations could be examined additional throughout the defence stage.

How the case originated

The case adopted feedback El-Rufai made throughout an interview on Arise Television in February 2026, after safety operatives reportedly tried to arrest him on the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja.

The former governor had returned from Cairo, Egypt, when the reported airport incident occurred. He subsequently alleged that Ribadu was behind the tried arrest and mentioned he knew in regards to the alleged instruction by way of an intercepted phone dialog.

During the tv interview, El-Rufai claimed that somebody had wiretapped the NSA’s phone, permitting him to take heed to a dialog through which Ribadu allegedly instructed safety operatives to arrest him.

The allegation triggered public controversy and was adopted by the DSS prosecution.

The Federal Government subsequently filed a five-count amended cost in opposition to the previous governor, regarding the alleged illegal interception of phone communications and different related offences.

The prices cite provisions of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, and many others.) Act, as amended in 2024, and the Nigerian Communications Act, 2003.

El-Rufai pleaded not responsible when he was arraigned in April 2026.

The prosecution’s case has targeted on the circumstances surrounding the alleged interception and the statements made throughout the tv interview, whereas the defence has challenged the sufficiency of the proof in opposition to him.

El-Rufai stays on bail in wiretapping case

The courtroom had earlier granted El-Rufai bail within the sum of ₦100 million, topic to circumstances.

Subsequently, the previous governor requested the courtroom to differ the bail phrases, however the software was rejected.

The dispute over bail circumstances has been a separate facet of the proceedings from the query of whether or not the prosecution introduced ample proof to require a defence.

The rejection of the no-case submission doesn’t, in itself, decide whether or not the previous governor might be convicted. The prosecution should nonetheless set up its case in accordance with the regulation, whereas the defence is entitled to problem the proof and current its personal case.

The November 25 listening to is predicted to offer the subsequent indication of how El-Rufai intends to answer the allegations.

Former governor faces separate authorized battles

The wiretapping trial is one in every of a number of authorized proceedings involving El-Rufai following his departure from workplace as Kaduna State governor in May 2023.

He can be dealing with corruption-related proceedings initiated by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) over allegations linked to his administration in Kaduna State.

One of the circumstances issues an alleged ₦8.68 billion CCTV surveillance contract awarded throughout his tenure. The allegations contain questions surrounding procurement procedures and the dealing with of the contract.

El-Rufai and different defendants have confronted allegations in reference to the matter, which stays separate from the wiretapping case and is topic to its personal judicial course of.

The former governor has additionally instituted basic rights fits in opposition to safety and anti-corruption companies over actions taken in opposition to him.

In a separate improvement, an FCT High Court presided over by Justice Sylvanus Oriji dismissed his ₦120 million basic rights go well with in opposition to the DSS, ICPC, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Attorney-General of the Federation.

The go well with challenged actions together with invites for questioning, an alleged try and arrest him on the airport and the seizure of his passport. The courtroom held that the companies’ actions, as thought of within the case, didn’t violate his basic rights and awarded ₦200,000 in prices in opposition to every respondent.

That judgment didn’t decide the deserves of the wiretapping allegations, which stay earlier than Justice Abdulmalik.

What occurs subsequent?

With the no-case submission dismissed, El-Rufai is predicted to enter his defence when the Federal High Court resumes on November 25.

At that stage, he could reply to the prosecution’s proof, problem the interpretation of statements attributed to him and current proof or name witnesses in assist of his place, topic to the relevant guidelines of prison process.

If he chooses to not current a defence, the courtroom should decide the case on the proof already earlier than it and in accordance with the regulation.

The central subject stays whether or not the prosecution can set up the alleged offences past affordable doubt.

For now, the courtroom has dominated solely that the proof introduced is ample to require the case to proceed. The last willpower of El-Rufai’s guilt or innocence will rely upon the proof and arguments thought of on the conclusion of the trial.