Alleged Phone Tapping: Court Reserves Ruling on El-Rufai’s No-Case Plea

The Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed October 26, 2026, to rule on the no-case submission filed by former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai in his trial over the alleged unlawful interception of the telephone communications of National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu.

Justice Joyce Abdulmalik reserved ruling after lawyers representing El-Rufai and the Department of State Services (DSS) presented their arguments on the application.

El-Rufai’s lawyer, Paul Erokoro (SAN), asked the court to uphold the no-case submission, maintaining that the DSS had failed to present sufficient evidence to establish a prima facie case against the former governor.

Erokoro therefore urged the court to discharge El-Rufai without requiring him to enter a defence.

The DSS, through its lawyer, Oluwole Aladedoye (SAN), opposed the application and asked the court to order El-Rufai to enter his defence.

Aladedoye argued that El-Rufai’s lawyers had not adequately dealt with Exhibit B, which the prosecution said contained an alleged admission by the former governor regarding the interception of Ribadu’s telephone communications.

The DSS had earlier called two witnesses in support of its case, including a DSS operative and human rights lawyer Deji Adeyanju.

The witnesses testified about statements allegedly made by El-Rufai during a television interview concerning the interception of telephone communications involving Ribadu.

During the proceedings, the court watched the television interview in which El-Rufai was alleged to have said, “We listened to the conversations of the NSA.”

Adeyanju told the court that he did not hear El-Rufai say that he hacked Ribadu’s phone but heard him make the statement about listening to the NSA’s conversations.

El-Rufai is facing an amended five-count charge relating to the alleged interception of Ribadu’s telephone communications and an alleged breach of national security. He pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The DSS closed its case in June after presenting witnesses and electronic evidence, including the recording of the television interview.

One of the prosecution witnesses also told the court that Ribadu had confirmed that the conversation referred to by El-Rufai had taken place.

El-Rufai remains on ₦100 million bail after the court rejected his application to vary the conditions attached to his bail.

The court will rule on his no-case submission on October 26, 2026.

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