The attempted arrest of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja has sparked nationwide debate and drawn fresh attention to ongoing corruption investigations linked to his administration.
The incident, which occurred on February 12, 2026, followed long running probes by anti graft agencies into alleged financial misconduct during El-Rufai’s eight year tenure as governor of Kaduna State.
Attempt Arrest
Tension unfolded at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja when security operatives approached El-Rufai shortly after he arrived from Cairo aboard Egypt Air flight MS 877.
His media aide Muyiwa Adekeye disclosed the development on X, stating that the former governor was confronted by security personnel upon disembarking. El-Rufai reportedly declined to accompany the operatives, insisting on a formal warrant or invitation.
His lawyer Ubong Esop Akpan later accused the Department of State Services of attempting an unlawful arrest and confiscating El-Rufai’s international passport through one of his aides. The legal team argued that his constitutional rights to liberty and property were violated.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission denied involvement in the airport confrontation. Its spokesperson Dele Oyewale said the commission had earlier invited El-Rufai in December 2025 while he was abroad for medical treatment and that his team assured the agency he would appear voluntarily at its Abuja office on February 16, 2026.
Reports indicated that the Department of State Services may have acted in collaboration with anti graft agencies to ensure compliance with the invitation.
Videos of the confrontation circulated widely on social media, showing El-Rufai engaged in a heated exchange with security personnel as onlookers gathered.
The Allegations Against Him
At the heart of the EFCC interest is a 2024 probe by the Kaduna State House of Assembly which indicted El-Rufai and several former officials over alleged financial irregularities amounting to N423 billion.
An ad hoc committee of the assembly accused the former administration of mismanaging loans obtained for infrastructure projects. Lawmakers claimed that substantial portions of the funds were not applied to their intended purposes, leaving the state with heavy debt obligations.
The probe also cited contract irregularities, including a controversial light rail project. The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission obtained a court order for the temporary forfeiture of N1.37 billion linked to the project.
Further allegations involved abuse of office and money laundering. Some former appointees have already faced arraignment in connection with alleged diversion of public funds, including a former finance commissioner accused of laundering N64 million through a company associated with an aide.
Investigators also reportedly discovered that a Kaduna State capital projects account remained linked to El-Rufai and former officials months after he left office in 2023.
El-Rufai has consistently denied wrongdoing, maintaining that no evidence of corruption has been established against him despite multiple investigations.
Political context
The airport incident has intensified speculation about political undertones surrounding the investigation.
El-Rufai was once a close ally of President Bola Tinubu and played a prominent role in the 2023 presidential campaign. However, his ministerial nomination was later rejected by the Senate, after which he distanced himself from the ruling All Progressives Congress and joined the African Democratic Congress.
Since then, he has emerged as a vocal critic of the Tinubu administration and has pledged to oppose the president’s reelection bid in 2027.
His successor in Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani has publicly accused the previous administration of gross corruption, while several of El-Rufai’s former associates have been questioned or detained in related investigations.
El-Rufai himself alleged in an interview that he was being targeted as the “next victim” after associates were arrested.
Supporters of the former governor describe the probe as politically motivated, while critics insist that the allegations warrant thorough scrutiny.
What Next
El-Rufai has indicated that he will honour the EFCC invitation scheduled for February 16, 2026. His legal team is demanding the immediate return of his passport and a formal apology over the airport incident.
As of February 13, 2026, neither the EFCC nor the Department of State Services has issued a detailed public statement clarifying the circumstances surrounding the attempted arrest.
The outcome of El-Rufai’s scheduled appearance before the EFCC could determine whether formal charges will follow or whether the matter will be resolved without prosecution.
For now, the case has reignited broader concerns about rule of law, selective prosecution, and the role of anti corruption agencies in Nigeria’s political landscape.
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