- Blames ICPC, DSS for ordeal
- Atiku canvasses viable opposition
BY SEGUN ADEBAYO – Former Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasiru el-Rufai has fingered the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu as the ‘brain’ behind his attempted arrest at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on Thursday after returning from a trip to Cairo, the Egyptian capital.
El-Rufai told former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who visited him last night at his Abuja residence, that the NSA may have engineered the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and Department of State Security (DSS) operatives to accost and try to whisk him away from the airport.
He also exonerated the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) from any blame saying; “It turned out that it’s the ICPC that procured DSS to abduct me and handed me over to them. The ICPC has never invited me. We just understand that it’s ICPC not EFCC that’s responsible for what happened today and the ICPC Chairman is acting of the direct order of Nuhu Ribadu.”
In his remarks during the visit, former Vice President Atiku sympathized with el-Rufai, even as he challenged all opposition Leaders on the need to build a viable opposition to fight President Tinubu come 2027 elections.
“We must come together and form a very viable opposition because Tinubu is determined to turn Nigeria into a one-party system.”
Failed Arrest Attempt
Attempts by security operatives to arrest former Governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasir el-Rufai, upon his arrival from Cairo, Egypt had failed with his media aide, Muyiwa Adekeye, reporting that his boss declined to accompany the operatives.
According to Muyiwa, the former Governor insisted on a formal invitation from the operatives before giving himself up for any form of questioning or interrogation as the case may be.
Adekeye alleged on social media that the security 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 claimed
Counsel Condemns Action As ‘Unlawful’
Also reacting to the development, el-Rufai’s counsel, Ubong Akpan, condemned what he described as an “unlawful attempted arrest,” alleging that operatives from DSS, moved against his client without presenting a warrant or letter of invitation.
Acknowledging that the EFCC, had earlier sent an invitation to El-Rufai while he was abroad, Akpan said the legal team formally communicated with the Commission in December 2025, assuring that the former governor would honour the invitation upon his return.
He further said the EFCC was notified that El-Rufai would voluntarily appear at its office by 10a.m.,on February 16, 2026, to respond to the allegations.
“When he calmly demanded to see the letter of invitation, a basic entitlement of any citizen facing state action, none could be produced. No document, no signed directive, no lawful process,” the lawyer said, even as he described the seizure of the passport as unlawful.
While also demanding the immediate return of the former governor’s passport, a formal apology, and the cessation of what he termed unlawful efforts to detain his client, the lawyer warned that legal action would be taken against those responsible.
Meanwhile, the legal team has further 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.
However, he said the unfortunate incident notwithstanding, Mallam el-Rufai would honour all legitimate law enforcement summons and has no intention of evading investigation.
