Tension erupted at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja today when operatives from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) reportedly attempted to arrest former Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, upon his arrival from Cairo, Egypt.
According to a statement from Muyiwa Adekeye, Media Adviser to El-Rufai, security agents approached the former governor as he disembarked, seeking to take him into custody. El-Rufai, however, firmly resisted, insisting he would not accompany them without a formal written invitation or summons.
"Malam El-Rufai declined to follow them without a formal invitation," Adekeye stated. "They however snatched his passport from an aide."
The incident reportedly caused a scene, with eyewitnesses and supporters intervening, leading to El-Rufai being escorted away by his team amid the standoff. Videos circulating on social media show moments of confrontation and El-Rufai's supporters bundling him out of the area.
This development follows weeks of speculation surrounding El-Rufai's return to Nigeria. The former governor, who has been linked to ongoing investigations by the EFCC and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) over alleged corruption during his tenure as Kaduna governor (including claims of misappropriating billions of naira), had earlier raised alarms about a possible politically motivated arrest upon his arrival.
El-Rufai had publicly stated he was on his way back and had even notified the EFCC of his willingness to appear at their Abuja office on a specified date later in the month. However, today's events at the airport appear to have escalated the situation dramatically.
Watch video below:
VIDEO: EFCC operatives attempted to arrest former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai on his return to Nigeria, but the commission operatives got stiff resistance from El-Rufai who declined to follow the agents without a formal invitation.
— Nigerian Affairs Journal (@NigAffairs) February 12, 2026
El-Rufai passport has, however, been… pic.twitter.com/gn8mFqyIaC
The EFCC has not yet issued an official statement on the incident, and details on the specific grounds for the attempted arrest remain unclear. El-Rufai has consistently denied wrongdoing, describing previous probes as politically driven persecution.
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