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El-Rufai’s Aide, Lawyer Allege Unlawful Arrest Attempt, Passport Seizure At Abuja Airport

Security operatives on Thursday allegedly attempted to arrest former Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, upon his arrival at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, from Cairo, Egypt.

The allegation was made by El-Rufai’s Media Adviser, Muyiwa Adekeye, who claimed that security agents moved to detain the former governor as he disembarked from Egypt Air flight MS 877.

According to Adekeye, El-Rufai declined to accompany the operatives, insisting that he would only respond to a formal invitation.
“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. They however snatched his passport from an aide,” Adekeye said in a statement.

Quoting the former governor, Adekeye added: “If you want to invite me, write me a letter.”
In a separate and strongly worded statement, counsel to El-Rufai, Ubong Esop Akpan, described the incident as an “unlawful attempted arrest” and accused security operatives of acting without due process.

Akpan alleged that operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) sought to arrest his client without presenting any arrest warrant or formal letter of invitation. He further claimed that El-Rufai’s international passport was forcibly taken during the encounter.

“This is a flagrant violation of constitutional rights, executive overreach, and a deliberate disregard for the rule of law,” Akpan said.
The lawyer disclosed that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had earlier sent an invitation to El-Rufai’s residence while he was reportedly abroad for medical treatment, describing the timing as impractical.

According to him, his chambers had formally written to the EFCC since December 2025, assuring the agency that El-Rufai would honour the invitation upon his return. He added that the EFCC was notified that the former governor would voluntarily appear at its 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,” Akpan stated.
The legal team cited several constitutional provisions, including Sections 34, 35, 36, 41, and 44 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), arguing that the attempted arrest and seizure of the passport violated El-Rufai’s rights to personal liberty, dignity, fair hearing, freedom of movement, and property ownership.

They demanded the immediate return of the passport, cessation of any “unlawful efforts” to detain him, and a formal apology from the authorities involved. The lawyer also indicated that legal action would be pursued against those responsible.

“Let us make it publicly and abundantly 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,” the statement added.

As of the time of filing this report, there has been no official response from the DSS or the EFCC regarding the allegations.
The incident comes amid heightened political attention surrounding the former governor, with observers awaiting further clarification from the relevant security agencies.

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