Security agents attempt to arrest El-Rufai as Lawyer accused agents of stealing his passport

The former governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasir El-Rufai would have been arrested and detained on Thursday, upon his return from Egypt, Cairo if not for intervention of his lawyers and passengers at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport as they insisted on warrant of arrest which the operatives of the Department of State Services and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC could not produce.

In a statement dated February 12, 2026, and signed by Ubong Akpan of the Chambers of Ubong Akpan, disclosed that the EFCC operatives immediately moved against El-Rufai shortly after he landed aboard Egypt Air flight MS 877 from Cairo in the afternoon of Thursday.

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Akpan condemned the operation, stating that the DSS sent invitation to the former governor of Kaduna when he had already travelled to Egypt which was impractical for him to honour the invitation.

He described the attempt to arrest El-Rufai as illegal, describing the development as a fragrant display of impunity and a violation of constitutional right and an executive overreach against the rule of law.

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The statement said, the DSS was notified that El-Rufai would appear as soon as he returned to the country.

The statement reads: “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.

Akpan alleged that operatives of the Department of State Services attempted to arrest El-Rufai without presenting any warrant or formal invitation. In the course of the melee, his international passport of seized.

The lawyer accused security operatives of stealing El-Rufai’s international passport as they have no right to take away the passport.

“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,” the lawyer said.

“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,” he said.

Akpan argued that the attempted arrest violated several constitutional provisions, including the rights to personal liberty, fair hearing, dignity of the human person, freedom of movement and property ownership.

“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,” the statement read.

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