Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has approached the Federal High Court seeking to quash criminal charges filed against him by the Department of State Services (DSS), describing the case as an abuse of court process.
According to a statement issued by his media adviser, Muyiwa Adekeye, El-Rufai filed an application challenging the competence and legality of Charge No. FHC/ABJ/CR/99/2026, instituted against him by the secret service.
The matter is scheduled for hearing on February 25, 2026, before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court.
In his motion on notice, the former governor is asking the court to strike out the charge on the grounds that it is incompetent, discloses no offence known to law, and constitutes what he termed a gross abuse of court process.
Among the reliefs sought, El-Rufai is requesting:
- An order quashing the charge in its entirety;
- An order discharging him on the basis that no prima facie case has been established;
- An order awarding ₦2 billion in costs against the DSS for alleged misuse of the criminal justice system.
Court documents indicate that the application is supported by 17 grounds, including claims of constitutional invalidity, lack of prosecutorial competence, absence of evidence, and allegations of political persecution.
The filing further argues that the prosecution violates several constitutional provisions, including the presumption of innocence, the right against self-incrimination, the requirement that offences be defined in written law, and freedoms of expression and association.
El-Rufai’s legal team has formally notified the Director-General of the DSS of the application and provided details of his counsel.
The court is expected to hear arguments from both parties on February 25, with the outcome likely to determine whether the charges proceed to trial or are struck out at the preliminary stage.
