El-Rufai at the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja.
Photo: Nasir El-Rufai/Facebook
By James
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Tension briefly flared at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on Thursday, following claims that security operatives attempted to arrest former Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, upon his return from Cairo, Egypt.
The allegation was made public by El-Rufai’s Media Adviser, Muyiwa Adekeye, who stated that security personnel approached the former governor shortly after he disembarked from his flight and sought to take him into custody.
According to Adekeye, El-Rufai refused to accompany the operatives, insisting that he would only respond to a properly issued 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 statement posted on his verified social media account.
The aide further alleged that during the encounter, El-Rufai’s passport was taken from one of his assistants by the operatives. As of press time, there has been no official confirmation or denial from any security agency regarding the reported incident.
Also confirming the development, counsel said the security agents had attempted to arrest the chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, on Thursday afternoon upon his arrival at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, shortly after he landed aboard Egypt Air flight MS 877 from Cairo, Egypt.
“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,” Ubong Akpan of the Chambers of Ubong Akpan, said in a statement.
He added that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, had earlier sent an invitation to El-Rufai while he was already outside the country, describing it as unreasonable and impractical.
“The invitation from the EFCC was delivered to Malam El-Rufai’s residence while he was already abroad, rendering it inherently illogical to demand immediate attendance.
“We formally communicated with the EFCC since December 2025, assuring compliance upon his return.
“Yesterday, we explicitly informed them that he would appear at their office by 10:00 a.m. on Monday, February 16, 2026. Resorting to arrest despite this clear commitment exemplifies arbitrary conduct and undermines procedural integrity,” he stated.
However, Akpan alleged that operatives of the Department of State Services, DSS, the attempt to arrest El-Rufai was made without presenting any warrant or formal invitation.
“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.
“In the same unlawful manner, operatives physically snatched his international passport. This act is nothing short of stealing, the unlawful taking of private property by agents of the state acting without colour of authority.
“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.
“There exists no justifiable basis for this attempted arrest or the accompanying mistreatment,” he said, adding that El-Rufai returned to Nigeria despite alleged intelligence of plans to intercept him.
“This premeditated interception at the airport exemplifies lawlessness and an abuse of state power.
“We demand the immediate and unconditional cessation of all unlawful efforts to detain Malam El-Rufai, the immediate return of his stolen passport, and a formal apology for this egregious infringement on his dignity and rights,” Akpan said.
Furthermore, Akpabio stated: “Let it be publicly clear: Malam Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai will never take the cowardly route of running away from law enforcement. He will honour, without preconditions, all legitimate law-enforcement summons.
“Legal action will be pursued against all persons and agencies responsible for this unconstitutional conduct. The judiciary remains the ultimate arbiter, and we shall seek redress through all available legal channels to protect the sanctity of the law,” he said.
El-Rufai, a founding member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and a former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, served as Kaduna State governor from 2015 to 2023. Known for his blunt rhetoric, he played a key role in the internal politics of the APC during successive election cycles.
Following the end of his tenure, El-Rufai was nominated for a ministerial position but did not secure Senate confirmation, a development that fueled political speculation and widened perceived cracks within elite power blocs.
Since then, the former governor has remained active in political conversations, occasionally weighing in on governance issues and intra-party matters.
While his critics argue that his outspokenness was because of his displacement from the power equation, his supporters describe him as a principled figure unwilling to retreat from public engagement.
Without official clarification of the alleged attempted arrest, it remains uncertain whether Thursday’s encounter was linked to an ongoing investigation, intelligence inquiry, or routine security protocol.
El-Rufai had earlier raised the alarm about plans to arrest him.
However, the absence of a public statement from security authorities has further fueled speculation, particularly given Nigeria’s history of high-profile confrontations between political figures and law enforcement agencies.
