By Adedapo Adesanya

The Department of State Services (DSS) has closed its case against former Kaduna State Governor, Mr Nasir El-Rufai, in the ongoing alleged wiretapping trial before the Federal High Court in Abuja.

At the resumed sitting on Tuesday, prosecuting counsel, Mr Oluwole Aladedoye, informed the court that the prosecution would not be calling further witnesses in the matter, prompting the formal closure of the DSS case.

Following the development, defence counsel, Mr Paul Erokoro, told the court that the defence intends to file a no-case submission, arguing that the prosecution has failed to establish sufficient evidence against the former governor.

The defence subsequently sought two weeks to file the application, while the prosecution requested two weeks to respond.

The defence also applied for a variation of some of the bail conditions earlier granted to El-Rufai, describing them as stringent and difficult to meet.

They argued that the bail terms were too stringent, particularly the requirements for level 17 civil servants with properties in Maitama or Asokoro, as well as verification and attestation letters from the Kaduna state traditional council.

However, the prosecution opposed the request, insisting that qualified public officers who meet the conditions exist and urging the court to refuse the application.

Delivering the ruling, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik declined the request to vary the bail conditions, ruling that there are civil servants who own properties at the said location.

The court, however, adjourned to September 22 for the filing of the no-case submission and continuation of the trial.

In February, the federal government filed a three-count charge against the former governor of Kaduna State over an alleged interception of communications belonging to Nigeria’s National Security Adviser (NSA), Mr Nuhu Ribadu.

In a television interview, he confessed that he and other unnamed individuals listened to conversations from Mr Ribadu’s phone after it was tapped by a third party. While acknowledging that such interception is technically unlawful, he argued that illegal surveillance was not unusual.

However, the FG, through the secret police, filed charges against Mr El-Rufai at the Federal High Court in Abuja.

By Adedapo Adesanya

Active mobile subscriptions in Nigeria increased by 15.1 million or 8.7 per cent year-on-year to 188.0 million in April 2026 from 172.9 million in April 2025, according to the latest data from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).

On a month-on-month (MoM) basis, subscriptions grew by 2.3 million or 1.2 per cent from 185.7 million in March 2026, reflecting continued momentum in subscriber acquisition across the telecommunications sector.

The sustained growth in mobile subscriptions is largely attributable to the easing of key regulatory and operational challenges that previously constrained industry expansion.

Notably, improved compliance with SIM registration and National Identification Number (NIN) linkage requirements has facilitated the reactivation of previously deactivated SIM cards, contributing significantly to the increase in active subscriptions.

Furthermore, enhanced customer onboarding processes and more efficient SIM reactivation procedures implemented by network operators have further supported subscriber growth.

MTN Nigeria maintained its market leadership position, recording a net subscriber addition of 632,209, bringing its total to 96.4 million in April 2026, up from 95.8 million in March.

Trailing was Airtel Nigeria, which delivered the strongest growth among the major operators, adding approximately 1.0 million subscribers, bringing its customer base to 64.7 million from 63.6 million in the preceding month.

Globacom also sustained its recovery momentum, with its subscriber base expanding by 538,704 to 23.2 million from 22.6 million. Meanwhile, 9mobile (T2) recorded modest growth, increasing its subscriber base to 3.54 million from 3.48 million.

There are expectations that subscriber growth will continue as more Nigerians seek favourable rates when it comes to data and voice, while higher smartphone penetration, ongoing investments in 4G and 5G network infrastructure, and expanding broadband coverage continue.

By Modupe Gbadeyanka

Friday, June 26, 2026, will provide an opportunity for some global experts in Public Relations reporting to analyse what need to change in the ecosystem.

The international panel of communications, media intelligence, and measurement professionals is being convened by P+ Measurement Services.

P+ Measurement Services is Nigeria’s leading independent media intelligence and PR measurement agency, helping organizations evaluate reputation, communication performance, and media impact through data-driven insights and globally recognized measurement standards.

At the virtual session themed Why Most PR Reports Fail: How Smarter Insights Can Change That, panellist will discuss how organisations can move beyond reporting outputs and activity metrics toward intelligence that supports business strategy, reputation management, and leadership decision-making.

The session will feature insights from Todd Murphy, Executive Director, Global Media Insights at Infoesearch and President of FIBEP; Paige Lingwood, Insights Consultant at CARMA; Tolulope Akin Aribisala, Managing Director of LSF PR; and Chidimma Ugbojiaku, Assistant Vice President, External and Government Relations, Brand and Corporate Communications.

Drawing from their experiences across communications, research, media intelligence, and stakeholder engagement, the speakers will share practical approaches to building reports that deliver relevance, context, and measurable value to organisations.

The event is open to communications professionals, public relations practitioners, corporate affairs leaders, media intelligence specialists, researchers, and executives seeking to strengthen the role of measurement in strategic decision-making.

A statement from the organisers disclosed that participation is free, but registration is required via https://bit.ly/4uL8tZf.