Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has accused the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) of acting in a partisan manner following what he described as a failed attempt to arrest former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai at Abuja airport.
Atiku made the allegation in a post on X on Friday, claiming the incident occurred upon El-Rufai’s arrival in the country.
Solidarity visit
According to Atiku, he paid a solidarity visit to El-Rufai after the incident.
“Last night, I paid a solidarity visit to the former Governor of Kaduna State and stalwart of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, following the failed attempt by the partisan ICPC to arrest him at the airport upon his arrival in the country,” he wrote.
The former vice-president also shared photographs and video from the visit, showing him in a closed-door meeting with El-Rufai at a private residence.
As of the time of filing this report, the ICPC had not responded to the allegation.
Rising Political Tension
The incident follows El-Rufai’s earlier warning that the APC-led federal government might seek his arrest amid political pressures.
Speaking in a BBC Hausa interview on Wednesday, the former governor, now a key figure in the opposition African Democratic Congress (ADC), said some associates had already been detained.
“Four people we worked with in Kaduna have been arrested; so it’s only a matter of time before they come for me too,” El-Rufai said
READ ALSO: From APC to SDP, El-Rufai Lands in ADC in Fresh Political Realignment
Kaduna State Government, under Governor Uba Sani, had previously accused El-Rufai’s administration of gross corruption.
El-Rufai, one of the northern APC governors who supported President Bola Tinubu’s 2023 nomination, has since fallen out with the administration and emerged as a critic, pledging to oppose Tinubu’s re-election in 2027.
El-Rufai’s Attempted Arrest
Pinnacle Daily reports that on Thursday, security operatives attempted to stop El-Rufai at the airport shortly after his return to Nigeria.
His aides claimed the operatives failed to present a warrant, leading to a confrontation before he was eventually allowed to leave the terminal.
Neither the ICPC nor any security agency has officially confirmed the incident.
Rafiyat Sadiq is a political, justice, and human rights reporter with Pinnacle Daily, known for fearless reporting and impactful storytelling. At Pinnacle Daily, she brings clarity and depth to issues shaping governance, democracy, and the protection of citizens’ rights.
