Counsel to former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has accused security operatives of attempting to unlawfully arrest him on Thursday at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, upon his return from Cairo, Egypt.
In a statement dated February 12, 2026, and signed by Ubong Akpan of the Chambers of Ubong Akpan, the lawyer said operatives moved against El-Rufai shortly after he landed aboard Egypt Air flight MS 877.
Akpan said:“We unequivocally condemn the attempted illegal arrest of our client by security operatives this afternoon upon his arrival in Abuja. This is a flagrant violation of constitutional rights, executive overreach, and a deliberate disregard for the rule of law.”
The lawyer noted that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had issued an invitation to El-Rufai while he was abroad, describing it as unreasonable. He added that the former governor had formally communicated his commitment to comply upon returning.
Passport Seized, Public Intervention
According to Akpan, the Department of State Services operatives attempted to arrest El-Rufai without presenting a warrant or formal document. When El-Rufai requested to see the invitation, none was produced.
“Upon his arrival, security operatives moved to arrest Malam El-Rufai without presenting any warrant or letter. When he demanded to see the invitation, none could be produced, no document, no signed directive, no lawful process,” the statement read.
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The lawyer further alleged that the operatives forcibly took El-Rufai’s international passport. Passengers and bystanders reportedly intervened, insisting that the arrest could only occur through proper legal procedure.
“Ordinary Nigerians present at the airport, incensed by this display, surrounded the scene and insisted loudly that he could only be arrested upon a legitimate process. That citizens had to remind security operatives of the Constitution is both shameful and instructive,” Akpan said.
Political Tensions and Past Allegations
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
His comments came amid ongoing prosecutions by the EFCC involving former officials from the late President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, including ex-CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele, former Minister of Labour Chris Ngige, and former Attorney-General Abubakar Malami, who face allegations of abuse of office, money laundering, and terrorism financing.
Malami has denied the allegations, describing them as a political witch-hunt following his defection from the APC to the ADC.
As of press time, no Nigerian security agency had issued an official response to the claims. 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.
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.
