A Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed a no-case submission filed by former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, in a case involving allegations of unlawful interception of telephone conversations linked to National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu.

Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, who presided over the case, ruled on Monday that the prosecution had presented sufficient evidence to require El-Rufai to enter his defence.

El-Rufai is facing a five-count amended charge filed by the Department of State Services (DSS) over allegations that he unlawfully intercepted telephone conversations involving Ribadu.

The case followed comments made by the former governor during an interview on Prime Time, an Arise Television programme, in February 2026, when he claimed that someone had wiretapped Ribadu’s telephone, enabling him to listen to the NSA instructing security operatives to arrest him.

After presenting two witnesses, the Federal Government closed its case, prompting El-Rufai to file a no-case submission seeking his discharge and acquittal.

Arguing the application, his counsel, Paul Erokoro, maintained that the prosecution had failed to establish a prima facie case requiring his client to enter a defence.

However, the prosecution counsel, Oluwole Aladedoye, urged the court to dismiss the application, arguing that the oral and documentary evidence presented before it was sufficient to warrant a defence from the defendant.

Justice Abdulmalik subsequently ruled in favour of the prosecution, dismissing El-Rufai’s application and directing him to open his defence.

The court adjourned the case until November 25, 2026, for the former governor to begin his defence.