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 unlawful interception of telephone communications involving National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.
Gatekeepers News reports that Justice Joyce Abdulmalik delivered the ruling on Monday after considering arguments from the prosecution and defence.
El-Rufai had filed the no-case submission after Department of State Services (DSS) closed its case, arguing that the prosecution had failed to present sufficient evidence to warrant his defence.
However, the prosecution urged the court to dismiss the application, maintaining that the evidence presented established a prima facie case against the former Governor.
The case followed comments made by el-Rufai during an interview on Arise Television’s Prime Time programme in February 2026, in which he alleged that Ribadu’s telephone conversation had been intercepted.
During the interview, the former Governor claimed he listened to a wiretapped conversation in which the national security adviser allegedly instructed security operatives to arrest him.
DSS subsequently filed charges against him over the alleged unlawful interception of telephone communications.
The dismissal of the no-case submission means el-Rufai is required to enter his defence in the case. It does not amount to a conviction.
