The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, on Tuesday reserved ruling on the no-case submission filed by former Governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, in his ongoing trial over alleged unlawful interception of a telephone communication of the National Security Adviser (NSA), Malam Nuhu Ribadu.
At the proceedings on Tuesday, both the prosecution and defence adopted their arguments on El-Rufai’s no-case submission filed before the court.
The prosecuting counsel, Mr Oluwole Aladedoye, SAN, told the court that the business of the day was for El-Rufai to adopt his no-case submission.
Counsel to El-Rufai, Mr Akinyemi Aremu, who announced that the defence team was led by Mr Paul Erokoro, SAN, told the court that Erokoro had prayed for the matter to be stood down as he was still on his way to court.
The trial judge, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, however, refused the request, saying, “I do not do stand downs” and Aremu subsequently sought the court’s permission for his co-counsel, Mr Ekere, to handle the proceedings.
Ekere then moved a motion seeking an extension of time to deem the defendant’s no-case submission properly filed and served.
The judge granted the application and deemed the processes relating to the no-case submission filed by El-Rufai as properly filed and served and Ekere thereafter, adopted the no-case submission and urged the court to uphold it and discharge the defendant.
The predicting counsel, Aladedoyin, however, prayed the court to overrule the no-case submission and order the defendant to enter his defence.
He argued that the defence, in making their no case submission, had evaded Exhibit B, which he said was the defendant’s confession.
“If they had averred it, they wont make the no case submission so I urge my lord to invite the defendant to open his case,” he said.
Justice Abdulmalik subsequently adjourned the matter till October 26 for ruling on the no-case submission filed by the former governor.
El-Rufai was docked by the Department of State Services (DSS) on behalf of the federal government on a five-count amended charge, marked, FHC/ABJ/CR/99/2026.
The former governor however denied all the allegations levelled against him by the federal government when the charges were read out to him in the court.
Count one of the charges against the former governor reads, “That you, Malam Nasir EI Rufai, adult, male, intentionally and unlawfully
interfered with the communication of the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, which constitutes Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNI) as
contained in designation and protection of Critical National Information Infrastructure Order, 2024 gazetted as Statutory Instrument No. 21 of 2024, as
admitted by you on 13th February, 2026 while appearing as a guest on Arise TV station’s prime time programme in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this
Honourable Court and thereby committed an offence contrary to Paragraph 7 (b) & (c) of the Designation and Protection of Critical National Information
Infrastructure Order, 2024 and punishable under Section 5 (1) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Amendment Act, 2024.
Count two reads, “That you, Mallam Nasir El Rufai, adult, male, without authorization, intentionally
secured access to classified information by the National Security Adviser, Nuhu
Ribadu, ordering your arrest and detention on 12th of February, 2026, as admitted by you on 13th February, 2026, while appearing as a guest on Arise TV station’s
prime time programme in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 6 (2)
of the Cybererimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Amendment Act, 2024.
In count three, the former governor was accused of intentionally and without authorization, intercepted the communications of the NSA, which he admitted on 13th February, 2026, while appearing as a guest on a programme on Arise TV station in Abuja, thereby committed an offence contrary
to and punishable under Section 12 (1) of the Cybererimes (Prohibition,
Prevention, etc) Amendment Act, 2024.
In count four, El Rufai was accused to have aided, abetted, procured and/or related with certain individual, who unlawfully intercepted the communications
of Nuhu Ribadu, without reporting the said individual to relevant security agencies, as admitted by him on 13th February, 2026, while appearing as a guest on Arise TV Station.
The federal government accused
El Rufai in count five of using technical equipment or systems which compromised public safety, national security and
instilling reasonable apprehension of insecurity among Nigerians by unlawfully intercepting the communications of the NSA, which he admitted during an interview on Arise TV station’s prime time Programme in Abuja.
END
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