El-Rufai Defies Arrest, Challenges Presidential Authority

Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai has vividly recounted a dramatic confrontation at Abuja’s Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, where he allegedly resisted a forced detention attempt by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) by asserting that not even the President holds absolute authority over him without due process. In a candid interview on Channels Television, the former governor alleged that security agencies are increasingly being weaponized for political ends against opposition figures, accusing the current administration of desperate attempts to silence dissenting voices. El-Rufai asserted that the DSS tried to detain him without a formal warrant immediately upon his return from Cairo, Egypt, despite prior legal communication indicating his willingness to cooperate with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Detailing the encounter, El-Rufai described being approached on the tarmac by a plainclothes DSS officer who demanded he accompany them to their office. The former governor insisted on seeing a formal letter of invitation, a demand that was not immediately met. As he proceeded towards immigration, the situation escalated with more operatives converging, prompting El-Rufai to remind the agents of the democratic principles governing the country. He maintained that he was prepared to honor a legitimate invitation but would not submit to arbitrary detention, emphasizing that the rule of law must be respected regardless of one’s political standing or the directives of higher authorities.

El-Rufai alleged that the confrontation took a violent turn when operatives assaulted one of his aides, seizing an international passport in the process. He expressed gratitude for the spontaneous resistance shown by other passengers at the airport who witnessed the incident and intervened, warning that the loss of confidence in the neutrality of security institutions could lead the nation towards anarchy. This showdown highlights the intensifying political friction and the contentious relationship between the former governor and federal security agencies, as he prepares to honor a summons from the EFCC next week.