Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai on Tuesday filed a ₦2 billion lawsuit against the Department of State Services (DSS), asking the Federal High Court to dismiss the charges brought against him.
According to his media adviser, Muyiwa Adekeye, El-Rufai submitted an application challenging Charge Number FHC/ABJ/CR/99/2026, describing it as incompetent and a gross abuse of court process.
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The matter is scheduled for hearing on February 25, 2026, before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik.
In his motion, El-Rufai requested several reliefs, including:
- An order quashing the charge in its entirety.
- An order discharging him on the grounds that no prima facie case has been established.
- An order awarding ₦2bn in costs against the DSS for alleged misuse of the criminal justice system.
Court filings cite 17 grounds for dismissal, including constitutional invalidity, lack of prosecutorial competence, absence of evidence, and claims of political persecution.
His legal team argued that the charges violate constitutional provisions such as the presumption of innocence, freedom of expression and association, and the requirement that offences be defined in written law.
The DSS Director General has been formally notified of the application, and both sides are expected to present arguments when the case comes up. The ruling will determine whether the charges proceed to trial or are struck out at this preliminary stage.
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