BREAKING: El-Rufai Challenges DSS In Court

Former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has asked the Federal High Court in Abuja to quash the criminal charges filed against him by the Department of State Services (DSS), describing them as incompetent, unconstitutional and an abuse of court process.

El-Rufai, in a motion filed before the Federal High Court, challenged Charge No. FHC/ABJ/CR/99/2026, dated February 16, 2026.

The matter is slated for hearing on February 25, 2026, before Joyce Abdulmalik.

In the application, El-Rufai is seeking an order striking out or quashing the charge on the grounds that it discloses no offence known to law, lacks a prima facie case, and constitutes a gross abuse of court process. He also urged the court to discharge him entirely.

Additionally, the former governor is asking the court to award N2 billion in costs against the DSS, accusing the agency—through its prosecuting counsel—of abusing and misusing the criminal justice system to harass, embarrass and publicly victimize him.

According to the court papers, El-Rufai’s motion lists 17 grounds for seeking the dismissal of the charges. His legal team also formally notified the Director General of the DSS of the processes filed in the matter through a letter dated February 18, and provided details of his legal representatives.

The grounds cited include alleged constitutional invalidity of the charges, failure to disclose any prima facie case, citation of offences not known to law, lack of prosecutorial competence, fatal duplicity, absence of evidence, bad faith, political persecution and abuse of court process.

El-Rufai further argued that the prosecution violated his fundamental rights under the 1999 Constitution (as amended), including the presumption of innocence, the right against self-incrimination, the requirement that offences be clearly defined in written law, as well as his rights to freedom of expression and freedom of association.

The application was signed by Muyiwa Adekeye, media adviser to Malam Nasir El-Rufai, and dated February 24, 2026. (Daily trust)