Counsel to former Kaduna State governor, Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, has accused operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) of attempting to arrest him without a warrant and confiscating his passport at Abuja’s airport on Thursday, describing the episode as unconstitutional and politically troubling.
In a statement issued by Ubong Esop Akpan of the Chambers of Ubong Akpan and made available to ENigeria Newspaper, the legal team said El-Rufai was intercepted shortly after landing at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport aboard Egypt Air flight MS 877 from Cairo. According to the lawyers, security operatives moved to detain him but failed to present an arrest warrant, court order, or formal invitation.
“They produced no document authorising the arrest,” the statement said, alleging that officers physically seized his international passport in the process. The lawyers characterised the action as an unlawful deprivation of property and a restriction on his constitutional right to freedom of movement.
The development comes amid an earlier invitation extended to El-Rufai by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). His legal team stated that the invitation was delivered to his residence while he was already outside the country for medical treatment, making immediate compliance impracticable. They said formal correspondence had since been exchanged with the anti-graft agency, notifying it of his return date and confirming his readiness to appear at its office by 10:00 a.m. on Monday, February 16, 2026.
Despite this communication, the lawyers alleged that security officials proceeded with what they termed a “premeditated interception” at the airport.
They further claimed that members of the public present at the terminal questioned the attempted arrest and demanded that due process be followed, creating a brief standoff before the situation eased.
Citing Sections 34, 35, 36, 41 and 44 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the legal team argued that the attempted arrest and seizure of the passport violated protections relating to personal liberty, dignity of the human person, fair hearing, freedom of movement and the right to own property.
“No government agency possesses unfettered powers,” the statement said, adding that executive actions must be anchored in lawful authority and procedural fairness.
The lawyers demanded the immediate return of El-Rufai’s passport, cessation of any further attempts to detain him without due process, and a formal apology from the authorities involved. They also signalled plans to initiate legal proceedings against those responsible, insisting that accountability would be pursued through the courts.
While condemning the incident, the legal team reiterated that El-Rufai would honour all legitimate law enforcement summons and would not evade investigation. According to them, his return to Nigeria, despite what they described as prior intelligence of a possible arrest, demonstrated his willingness to submit to lawful inquiry.
As of the time that ENigeria Newspaper is reporting this, there was no official response from the DSS or the EFCC regarding the allegations.
