El-Rufai Slams Airport Arrest Attempt

Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai has vehemently condemned an attempted arrest by security operatives at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja, labeling the action as both illegal and a flagrant abuse of state power. Through his legal counsel, Ubong Esop Akpan, the former minister faulted the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for issuing an invitation while he was abroad and criticized Department of State Services (DSS) agents for trying to detain him without a warrant upon his arrival from Cairo.

El-Rufai’s legal team emphasized that they had formally communicated with the EFCC since December 2025, assuring them of the former governor’s compliance upon his return. In fact, they asserted that the commission was explicitly notified that El-Rufai would voluntarily appear at their offices on Monday, February 16, 2026, making the aggressive airport interception procedurally unnecessary and arbitrary.

Adding to the controversy, the statement alleged that security operatives physically snatched El-Rufai’s international passport without presenting any signed directive or lawful process, an act his counsel described as theft by state agents. The scene reportedly drew outrage from ordinary Nigerians present at the airport, who intervened to remind the officials of the constitutional requirement for legitimate legal process before arrest.

Asserting that there is no justifiable basis for the mistreatment, El-Rufai declared that he would never take the cowardly route of running away from legitimate law enforcement inquiries. His legal team vowed to pursue formal legal action against the responsible agencies to seek redress for the violation of his fundamental rights, including the right to personal liberty, dignity, and freedom of movement as guaranteed by the Nigerian Constitution.