Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court in Abuja has directed former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai to respond to the allegations against him in his ongoing case concerning the alleged illegal interception of telephone conversations belonging to National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu.
The directive followed the court’s consideration of an application filed by El-Rufai’s legal team, asking the judge to terminate the case without requiring him to present a defence.
Delivering her decision, Justice Abdulmalik rejected the former governor’s request, holding that the evidence presented by the prosecution was sufficient to require him to address the allegations if he chooses to do so.
The application, known as a no-case submission, is typically filed by a defendant after the prosecution concludes its presentation of evidence. Through such an application, the defence argues that the evidence before the court does not establish a sufficient basis for requiring the accused person to answer the charges.
In El-Rufai’s case, however, the judge found that the prosecution had produced enough material to justify calling upon him to respond to the allegations.
By dismissing the application, the court has allowed the proceedings to move to the next stage, where the former governor may present evidence and explain his position regarding the accusations brought against him.
The case centres on allegations that El-Rufai unlawfully accessed or intercepted telephone communications associated with Ribadu, who currently serves as Nigeria’s National Security Adviser.
The allegations remain before the court, and the ruling on the no-case submission does not amount to a determination of El-Rufai’s guilt. Rather, it establishes that the prosecution’s evidence warrants a response from the defendant before the matter can proceed towards its eventual resolution.
The former governor retains the option of entering his defence as the trial continues, subject to the applicable legal procedures.
Justice Abdulmalik’s decision marks a significant procedural development in the case, as the court has declined to discontinue the proceedings at the stage requested by the defence.
The ruling means that the allegations will continue to be examined through the judicial process, with the defendant given the opportunity to respond to the evidence presented against him.
Further proceedings will determine how the case advances following the rejection of the no-case application.
