Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai will open his defence on November 25 after the court dismissed his no-case submission.
A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai to open his defence on November 25, after dismissing his no-case submission in a trial over the alleged unlawful interception of telephone conversations involving National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu.
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik ruled on Monday that the prosecution had presented sufficient evidence for El-Rufai to respond to the five-count amended charge filed by the Department of State Services.
El-Rufai had asked the court to discharge and acquit him, arguing that the prosecution failed to establish a case against him.
His application followed the prosecution’s closure of its case after two witnesses testified.
But prosecution counsel Oluwole Aladedoye urged the court to reject the application, arguing that the oral and documentary evidence presented justified requiring the former governor to defend himself.
The charges followed comments El-Rufai made during an Arise Television interview in February 2026, when he alleged that Ribadu’s telephone conversation had been intercepted.
The court’s ruling means El-Rufai will be required to present his defence when the case resumes on November 25. The ruling does not determine his guilt or innocence.
About The Author
