COUNSEL to former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, on Thursday explained why his client did not immediately respond to an invitation issued by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in December 2025, stating that the letter was delivered while he was outside Nigeria.
In a statement he issued after failed attempt by security operatives to arrest El-Rufai while arriving in Nigeria from Egypt, at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, the lawyer, Ubong Esop Akpan, said the invitation was served at El-Rufai’s residence when he was already abroad, making instant compliance impossible.
He said the legal team subsequently notified the anti-graft agency of the situation and assured that the former governor would appear voluntarily upon his return.
According to the statement, the EFCC was formally informed that El-Rufai would report to its office by 10 a.m. on Monday, February 16.
The lawyer argued that attempting to arrest his client before that date amounted to disregard for due process and procedural fairness.
Akpan also condemned security operatives for attempting to arrest the former governor at the airport without presenting a warrant or formal invitation, adding that his international passport was seized during the encounter.
He maintained that the action violated constitutional guarantees relating to personal liberty, fair hearing, dignity, freedom of movement and property, and demanded the immediate return of the passport alongside a halt to any unlawful detention attempts.
“This premeditated interception at the airport exemplifies lawlessness and an abuse of state power. This is not merely a travesty but a direct regression into anti-democracy, eroding the hard-won gains of civilian governance and threatening the rule of law.
“We reiterate our demand for the immediate and unconditional cessation of all unlawful efforts to detain Malam El-Rufai, the immediate return of his stolen passport, and a formal apology for this egregious infringement on his dignity and rights. Legal action will be pursued against all persons and agencies responsible for this unconstitutional conduct to uphold accountability and deter future abuses,” the statement added.
The lawyer quoted many sections of the Nigerian constitution, which he said the security operatives violated in their attempt to pick up his client.
Backstory
El-Rufai’s media aide, Muyiwa Adekeye, had said some security agents tried to arrest the former governor shortly after he landed in Nigeria but failed to present any official documentation.
Videos circulating online also showed a brief confrontation with men in green jackets, while El-Rufai insisted that proper legal procedure must be followed. Supporters were later seen escorting him away from the scene.
No Nigerian security agency has publicly claimed responsibility for the attempted arrest.
The ICIR reports that the development followed El-Rufai’s recent claim that the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government might move against him.
Speaking in a BBC Hausa interview on Wednesday, the opposition African Democratic Congress (ADC) chieftain said several of his associates had already been arrested, suggesting he could be targeted next.
“Four people we worked with in Kaduna have been arrested; so, it’s only a matter of time before they come for me too,” El-Rufai said.
The ICIR reports that his comments followed the arrest and ongoing prosecution of some bigwigs under the late former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, including the former Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele; former Minister of Labour, Chris Ngige; and former Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, who are facing criminal allegations from the EFCC including abuse of office, money laundering, and terrorism financing.
Malami has denied the accusations, describing them as a political witch-hunt after leaving the APC for the ADC.
As of press time, no Nigerian security agency has issued an official statement confirming an attempt to arrest El-Rufai.
The ICIR reports that Kaduna State Government, led by Uba Sani, had accused its predecessor, under El-Rufai, of gross corruption.
Besides, El-Rufai, one of the northern APC governors who fought to ensure President Bola Tinubu’s emergence as the APC presidential candidate in the 2023 poll, has fallen out with the president, after his nomination as a cabinet member ended in a fiasco.
He has since been a fierce critic of the Tinubu’s government, vowing to ensure his defeat when he seeks re-election in 2027.
Mustapha Usman is an investigative journalist with the International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: musman@icirnigeria.com. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M