Security agents attempt to arrest El-Rufai at Abuja Airport – Aide

2026-02-12 - 14:20

By Ibrahim Hassan-Wuyo Tension gripped Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on Thursday following reports that security agents attempted to arrest former Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, upon his arrival from Cairo, Egypt. According to his media aide, Muyiwa Adekeye, El-Rufai declined to accompany the operatives, insisting on a formal invitation. Adekeye alleged on social media that the agents subsequently seized the former governor’s international passport from one of his aides. “As he arrived, security agents approached him, but Malam El-Rufai declined to follow them without a formal invitation. They, however, snatched his international passport from an aide,” Adekeye stated. As of Thursday evening, there has been no official confirmation from security authorities regarding the incident. The development comes a day after El-Rufai, in an interview with BBC Hausa, said he could be arrested in Nigeria at any time. He accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of pressuring politicians to either align with the party or face political consequences. El-Rufai also claimed that some of his associates had already been detained. “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. Political analysts say the reported airport incident, if confirmed, could escalate concerns over the country’s political climate, particularly amid ongoing realignments ahead of future elections.