The Department of State Services (DSS) has officially concluded its case against former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai in the ongoing alleged wiretapping trial before the Federal High Court in Abuja.
At Tuesday’s proceedings, prosecuting counsel Oluwole Aladedoye informed the court that the prosecution would not be presenting any additional witnesses, effectively bringing the DSS’s case to a close.
Following the development, El-Rufai’s lead counsel, Paul Erokoro, announced that the defence would file a no-case submission, maintaining that the prosecution had failed to present enough evidence to sustain the charges against the former governor.
The defence requested two weeks to file the application, while the prosecution asked for the same period to respond. Prosecutors also sought a review of some of the bail conditions earlier granted to El-Rufai, arguing that the requirements were difficult to meet.
According to the defence, the conditions attached to El-Rufai’s bail were too stringent, especially the requirement that sureties must be Level 17 civil servants with properties in Abuja’s Maitama or Asokoro districts. The defence also faulted the demand for verification and attestation letters from the Kaduna State Traditional Council.
However, the prosecution opposed any relaxation of the conditions, insisting that qualified public officers capable of fulfilling the requirements were available and urging the court to reject the application.
In her ruling, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik refused the request to vary the bail conditions. She held that there are civil servants who own properties in the designated areas and therefore found no reason to alter the existing terms.
The court subsequently adjourned the case until September 22, 2026, for the hearing of the no-case submission and continuation of the trial.
El-Rufai, who served as governor of Kaduna State from 2015 to 2023, is facing allegations relating to unlawful wiretapping. The DSS had earlier arraigned him on a five-count amended charge.
With the prosecution now resting its case, attention will shift to the defence’s no-case submission, which seeks to convince the court that the evidence presented by the DSS is insufficient to warrant further proceedings against the former governor.
The outcome of the application could determine whether El-Rufai will be required to open his defence or whether the charges against him will be dismissed at this stage of the trial.
