Court sets October 26 ruling in El-Rufai wiretapping case

A Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed October 26, 2026, to decide whether former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai should open his defence in an alleged phone-tapping case filed by the Department of State Services.

Justice Joyce Abdulmalik reserved ruling after lawyers for El-Rufai and the DSS argued over his no-case submission. El-Rufai is asking the court to stop the trial at this stage, saying the prosecution has not shown enough evidence to require him to enter a defence.

His lawyer, Paul Erokoro, SAN, told the court that the charge was incompetent and that the prosecution had not established a prima facie case. The DSS, represented by Oluwole Aladedoye, SAN, asked the court to dismiss the application and order El-Rufai to defend himself.

The case is built around an amended five-count charge alleging interception of telephone communications linked to National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu and an alleged breach of national security. El-Rufai has pleaded not guilty.

The October ruling will determine whether the matter proceeds to a defence stage or whether the court accepts El-Rufai’s argument that there is no case for him to answer.

Sources: Vanguard, Channels Television, Daily Post