Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai is scheduled to appear before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission at 10:00 a.m. on Monday, February 16, his lawyers said, after security operatives attempted to arrest him at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport without a warrant and seized his passport.
The incident unfolded Thursday afternoon shortly after El-Rufai arrived from Cairo aboard Egypt Air flight MS 877. His media aide, Muyiwa Adekeye, said operatives approached the former governor but he declined to follow them because no formal invitation or warrant was presented.
Video footage circulating on social media shows El-Rufai confronting security personnel at the airport while supporters looked on.
El-Rufai’s Counsel Condemns the Operation
In a strongly worded statement, El-Rufai’s counsel, Ubong Esop Akpan, condemned the operation as “a flagrant violation of constitutional rights, executive overreach, and a deliberate disregard for the rule of law”.
“When he calmly demanded to see the letter of invitation — a basic entitlement of any citizen facing state action — none could be produced,” Akpan said. “No document, no signed directive, no lawful process. There was only raw power, unclothed by law”.
The lawyer alleged that operatives “physically snatched his international passport” from an aide, describing the act as “nothing short of stealing — the unlawful taking of private property by agents of the state acting without colour of authority”.
The Invitation That Arrived While He Was Away
Akpan disclosed that the EFCC had delivered an invitation to El-Rufai’s residence in December 2025 — while he was abroad for medical treatment and rest. The lawyer described the demand for immediate attendance as “inherently illogical and impractical”.
According to the statement, El-Rufai’s legal team formally communicated with the anti-graft agency since December, assuring compliance upon his return. On Wednesday, they explicitly notified the EFCC that the former governor would voluntarily appear at its office by 10:00 a.m. on Monday, February 16.
“Resorting to arrest despite this clear commitment exemplifies arbitrary conduct and undermines procedural integrity,” Akpan said.
Citizens Intervened
The lawyer claimed that ordinary Nigerians at the airport intervened during the confrontation.
“Incensed by this open display of oppression, [they] surrounded the scene and insisted loudly that he could only be arrested upon a legitimate process,” the statement read. “Their voices, defiant and unbowed, were a testament to the citizenry’s unyielding commitment to the rule of law”.
“That citizens had to remind security operatives of the Constitution is both shameful and instructive,” Akpan added.
No Agency Has Claimed Responsibility
As of press time, no Nigerian security agency has publicly confirmed or taken responsibility for the attempted arrest. The EFCC has not issued any statement regarding the incident or El-Rufai’s scheduled Monday appearance.
El-Rufai himself responded on X shortly after the incident: “My lawyers have issued a statement that condemns the illegal attempt to arrest me today at the Abuja airport upon my arrival from Cairo. Our country must outgrow executive overreach and deliberate disregard for the rule of law”.
Political Context
The former governor, who recently defected from the ruling All Progressives Congress to the African Democratic Congress, told the BBC Hausa service on Wednesday that he expected to be targeted.
“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 said.
El-Rufai was nominated for a ministerial appointment in 2023 but was not cleared by the Senate. He has since become a vocal critic of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, vowing to work for his defeat in 2027.
His successor as Kaduna governor, Uba Sani, has accused the previous administration of leaving the state with “gross corruption” and massive debt — allegations El-Rufai has repeatedly denied.
What Happens Monday
Akpan stated categorically that his client will not evade law enforcement.
“LET US MAKE IT PUBLICLY AND ABUNDANTLY CLEAR,” the lawyer declared. “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 legal team has demanded the immediate return of El-Rufai’s passport, an end to what they describe as unlawful efforts to detain him, and a formal apology. They have vowed to pursue legal action against all persons and agencies responsible.
For now, Monday’s voluntary appearance at the EFCC headquarters will determine whether this becomes a procedural handover or the opening act of a much longer legal and political battle.
