El-Rufai Demands Dismissal As DSS Closes Case
Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai has chosen to file a no-case submission in his criminal trial for alleged wiretapping. His defence lawyer, Paul Erokoro, announced the decision before the Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday. The move followed an announcement by the Department of State Services that it had concluded its prosecution. State lawyers decided to close their case after presenting witnesses and evidence, including a television interview clip. El-Rufai maintains that the state has failed to produce enough evidence to justify a defence.
The secret police are prosecuting the former governor on a five-count amended charge bordering on national security breaches. The state alleges that El-Rufai illegally intercepted telephone communications belonging to National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu. Prosecutors argue that this action directly violates the Cybercrimes Amendment Act of 2024. The dispute began after El-Rufai claimed during a live television broadcast that he obtained a taped conversation. According to him, the recording exposed a plot by federal operatives to arrest him at the Abuja airport.
The trial judge, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, granted the defence team two weeks to file their formal application. The state prosecution received an equal timeframe to submit its written response to the challenge. The court subsequently adjourned the high-profile matter until September 22 for the adoption of written addresses. If the judge rules in favour of the no-case submission, El-Rufai will walk free without speaking. A negative ruling will force the prominent politician to enter the witness box and defend his actions.
The courtroom session also witnessed a sharp disagreement over the existing bail conditions granted to the politician. Erokoro urged the court to ease the current terms, describing them as overly strict and difficult to satisfy. The current bail conditions require top-grade civil servants who own houses in elite Abuja neighbourhoods to stand as sureties. The defence argued that finding public servants with such expensive properties proved nearly impossible. The request also sought to remove a clause demanding clearance from the Kaduna State traditional council.
Justice Abdulmalik firmly rejected the application to vary the bail terms. The judge maintained that the federal capital holds plenty of senior civil servants who own homes in those districts. The ruling means El-Rufai must continue to meet the original strict requirements to maintain his freedom. The former governor has spent time in state custody during the trial due to previous tracking disputes. His family has previously characterized the entire prosecution as a calculated campaign of political persecution.
The outcome of the September hearing will determine the direction of this sensitive national security trial. The DSS remains confident that the admitted video evidence and witness testimonies prove their wiretapping case. El-Rufai faces separate legal battles, including a major financial corruption probe by the anti-graft agency in Kaduna. His political future depends heavily on navigating these intense pressures from the current federal administration. The capital city awaits the critical September ruling with keen interest.