By Suleiman Anyalewechi
Former Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, will be filing a no-case-submission in his trial on alleged wire-tapping of the telephone lines of the National Security Adviser NSA.
The Department of State Service, DSS, is prosecuting El-Rufai on a five-count charge bordering on alleged breach of national security, and unlawful interception of communications system of the office of the NSA.
According to the originating summons, the DSS had alleged that El-Rufai in February, 2026 while featuring in an interview session on Arise Television claimed to have Intercepted a telephone conversation involving the NSA, an offence the Service said is punishable under Section 12( 1) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Amendment Act, 2024.
The prosecution at the resumed hearing on Tuesday June 23, 2026, informed that they will no longer be calling more witnesses, a development that led to the formal closure of their case.
Consequently, the defendant’s legal team led by Paul Erokoro requested for a period of two weeks to enable them file a no-case-submission.
According to Erokoro, the prosecution has failed to establish sufficient grounds to warrant El-Rufai filing a formal defence .
Similarly, the defence team filed an oral application demanding for a review of the bail conditions earlier granted the former Kaduna Governor, which they argued is too stringent, and difficult to meet.
Particularly, the defence team emphasized that the conditions requiring a Level 17 Civil Servant with properties in Maitama or Asokoro Districts of Abuja as one of the sureties, as well as an attestation letter from the Chairman of the Kaduna state Traditional Rulers Council are practically impossible in the present circumstances.
But while dismissing the bail application, presiding Judge Honourable Justice Joyce Abdul-Malik held that there are many instances of civil servants that own properties in the affected areas of Abuja.
Earlier, prosecution counsel Oluwole Aladedoye had opposed the bail variation application, contending that there are several property owners in Maitama,and Asokoro Districts who are civil servants.
The former Kaduna state Governor is expected to file his no-case-submission on the next adjourned date of September 22,2026.
Not a few are of the conviction that El-Rufai going by the refusal of the presiding Judge to review the bail conditions,may be in custody till the conclusion of the case.
Observers strongly believe that it will be near impossible to secure an attestation letter from the Chairman of Kaduna state Traditional Rulers Council, His Highness, the Emir of Zazzau without attracting dire consequences from the Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani.
Governor Sani and El-Rufai have been having frosty relationship of late a development which will not allow the Emir to play his role in perfecting the bail conditions.
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