TENSION unfolded at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on Thursday following an alleged attempt by security operatives to arrest former Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, upon his arrival from Cairo, Egypt.
News Point Nigeria reports that the development was disclosed by his Media Adviser, Muyiwa Adekeye, who shared details of the incident through a series of social media posts and videos. According to Adekeye, El-Rufai was approached by security operatives shortly after disembarking from Egypt Air flight MS 877.
Adekeye alleged that the operatives sought to take the former governor into custody immediately upon arrival. However, El-Rufai reportedly declined to comply, insisting that he would not honour any arrest request without a formal invitation or warrant.
“Security agents today attempted to arrest Malam Nasir El-Rufai as he arrived on a flight from Cairo. Malam El-Rufai declined to follow them without a formal invitation,” Adekeye wrote in a post later reposted by the former governor.
The aide further claimed that during the confrontation, security personnel seized El-Rufai’s passport from one of his aides.
“They, however, snatched his passport from an aide,” Adekeye added.
A video circulating online showed what appeared to be an official of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) attempting to prevent bystanders from recording the incident.
As of press time, it remained unclear whether the Department of State Services (DSS) or the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) initiated the attempted arrest. Neither agency had issued an official statement.
Reacting to the development, counsel to the former governor, Ubong Esop Akpan, described the attempted arrest as a “flagrant violation of constitutional rights, executive overreach, and a deliberate disregard for the rule of law.”
Akpan stated that the EFCC had delivered an invitation letter to El-Rufai’s residence in December 2025 while he was already abroad, making immediate compliance impossible.
“The invitation from the EFCC was delivered to Malam El-Rufai’s residence while he was already outside the country, rendering it inherently illogical and impractical to demand immediate attendance,” Akpan said.
He disclosed that the legal team had formally communicated with the EFCC since December, assuring the commission that El-Rufai would honour the invitation upon his return.
“Yesterday, we explicitly notified them that he would voluntarily appear at their office by 10:00 a.m. on Monday, February 16, 2026,” the lawyer added.
Akpan argued that resorting to arrest despite prior notification of voluntary appearance demonstrated arbitrary conduct and undermined procedural fairness.
“There exists no justifiable basis for this attempted arrest or the accompanying mistreatment,” he said, demanding the immediate return of the seized passport and a formal apology.
The airport incident comes days after El-Rufai, in an interview with BBC Hausa, suggested that he could be arrested at any time.
“Four people we worked with in Kaduna have been arrested; so it’s only a matter of time before they come for me too,” he had stated.
Now a leading figure in the opposition African Democratic Congress (ADC), El-Rufai has accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of mounting political pressure on opposition figures.
He has consistently denied wrongdoing in response to ongoing investigations by anti-graft agencies concerning his tenure as Kaduna State governor from 2015 to 2023.
Despite the airport confrontation, El-Rufai’s legal team confirmed that he would appear before the EFCC by 10:00 a.m. on Monday to address the allegations against him.
His counsel emphasized that the former governor returned to Nigeria voluntarily after medical treatment and rest abroad, despite alleged intelligence suggesting plans for his arrest.
“This premeditated interception at the airport exemplifies lawlessness and abuse of state power,” Akpan stated.
As of the time of filing this report, the EFCC, DSS, and other relevant authorities had yet to issue official comments regarding the attempted arrest or the seizure of El-Rufai’s passport.