Wednesday, July 15, 2026

Passport seized as El-Rufai resists arrest at Abuja airport

“Listen, nobody, not even the President would tell me what to do. If you want to invite me; send a letter,” Mr El-Rufai said.

• February 12, 2026
El-Rufai at the airport
El-Rufai at the airport [Credit: Nasir El-Rufai on X]

A former governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, on Thursday resisted arrest at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja minutes after he arrived from Cairo, Egypt.

Short video clips trending on social media show Mr El-Rufai telling the plain-clothed security agents that he would not follow them even on the order of the President.

“Listen, nobody, not even the President would tell me what to do. If you want to invite me; send a letter,” Mr El-Rufai said during the airport face-off.

As of press time, it was unclear which particular security agency attempted to nab the former governor.

Peoples Gazette reached out to the State Security Service headquarters, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission headquarters, the Nigeria Police Force headquarters, and the Federal Capital Territory Police Command headquarters on Wednesday, but none of them responded to inquiries.

Meanwhile, Mr El-Rufai’s media aide, Muyiwa Adekeye, said the plain-clothed  security agents seized his principal’s passport from an aide at the airport.

“Security agents today attempted to arrest Malam Nasir El-Rufai as he arrived on a flight from Cairo. Malam El-Rufai declined to follow them without a formal Invitation. They however snatched his passport from an aide,” Mr Adekeye said.

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