The Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed a no-case submission filed by former Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, in the ongoing trial over the alleged unlawful interception of telephone communications belonging to the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.

Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, in her ruling on Monday, held that the Department of State Services (DSS) had presented sufficient evidence to warrant a response from the former governor.

The judge subsequently directed El-Rufai, the sole defendant in the case, to open his defence against the allegations.

The former governor, through his counsel, Akinyemi Aremu, had asked the court to dismiss the charge, arguing that the prosecution failed to establish a prima facie case against him after presenting two witnesses and closing its case.

However, the DSS counsel, Oluwole Aladedoye, SAN, urged the court to reject the application, insisting that the defence had failed to address Exhibit B, which allegedly contained an admission by El-Rufai that he intercepted Ribadu’s telephone communications.

After considering the arguments, Justice Abdulmalik ruled that the evidence presented by the prosecution was sufficient to require the defendant to enter his defence.

The ruling means El-Rufai will now have the opportunity to respond to the allegations and present his case before the court as the trial continues.

However, the dismissal of the no-case submission does not amount to a conviction, and the allegations against the former governor remain to be determined through the ongoing judicial proceedings.