AfriPulse
Former Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, has reaffirmed his readiness to appear before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Monday, February 16, 2026, following an alleged attempt by security operatives to arrest him at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
El-Rufai’s legal team disclosed this in a statement signed by his counsel, Ubong Esop Akpan of The Chambers of Ubong Akpan, while condemning what it described as an unlawful and unconstitutional action by security personnel.
According to the statement, the former governor had maintained communication with the EFCC since December 2025 after receiving an invitation delivered to his residence while he was out of the country. The lawyers said El-Rufai, who returned from Cairo, Egypt, had officially notified the commission of his intention to report to its office by 10:00 a.m. on Monday.
Despite this arrangement, the legal team alleged that operatives attempted to arrest him on arrival at the Abuja airport without presenting any warrant or lawful directive and went ahead to seize his international passport.
“Resorting to arrest despite this clear commitment exemplifies arbitrary conduct and undermines procedural integrity,” the statement said.
The lawyers added that concerned citizens at the airport intervened, insisting that any arrest must follow due process and constitutional guidelines.
They further argued that the incident violated several provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), including Section 35 on personal liberty, Section 36 on fair hearing, Section 34 on human dignity, Section 41 on freedom of movement, and Section 44 on the right to own property.
El-Rufai’s legal team demanded the immediate halt of what they termed unlawful actions, the return of his confiscated passport, and a formal apology from the relevant authorities.
They also warned that legal action would be taken against all individuals involved in the incident to ensure accountability and uphold the rule of law.
The statement emphasized that El-Rufai remains committed to honouring all legitimate law enforcement invitations and will pursue judicial remedies where necessary.
As of the time of filing this report, the EFCC and other security agencies had not issued any official response to the allegations.
Source: NationalAccordNewspaper | Read the Full Story…
