Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has strongly criticized what he described as executive overreach and a systemic disregard for the rule of law in Nigeria, following a reported attempted arrest by security operatives at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja. El-Rufai, who made these remarks in a statement on his X account, highlighted his lawyers' condemnation of the incident as an illegal attempt to detain him upon his arrival from Cairo.

The incident, as detailed by Ubong Akpan Chambers, El-Rufai’s legal representatives, occurred on a Thursday afternoon when he landed from Cairo via Egypt Air flight MS 877. The chambers unequivocally branded the event as a “flagrant violation of constitutional rights, executive overreach, and a deliberate disregard for the rule of law.” They revealed that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had previously sent an invitation to El-Rufai’s residence while he was abroad, making an immediate appearance impractical. His lawyers had formally notified the EFCC of his willingness to comply upon his return, even specifying an appearance date of Monday, February 16, 2026, at 10 a.m. This pre-arranged commitment, they argued, rendered the attempt to arrest him arbitrary and undermining of procedural integrity.

Upon his arrival at the airport, operatives, later identified by El-Rufai as from the Department of State Services (DSS) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), allegedly attempted to take him into custody. Critically, these operatives failed to present any warrant or formal invitation when El-Rufai calmly requested one. His lawyers stated that “No document, no signed directive, no lawful process. There was only raw power, unclothed by law.” Furthermore, his international passport was reportedly seized forcibly from an aide, an act his lawyers characterized as “nothing short of stealing.” El-Rufai himself accused the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, of orchestrating the attempt through the ICPC, stating that the ICPC had never invited him previously.

The attempted arrest, according to Ubong Akpan Chambers, infringed upon several fundamental constitutional rights, including the right to personal liberty (Section 35), fair hearing (Section 36), dignity of the human person (Section 34), freedom of movement (Section 41), and property ownership (Section 44) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended). The lawyers demanded an immediate and unconditional cessation of all unlawful efforts to detain El-Rufai, the prompt return of his seized passport, and a formal apology for what they termed an “egregious infringement on his dignity and rights.” They also declared El-Rufai's commitment to honor all legitimate law enforcement summons without preconditions, while asserting their intent to pursue legal action against all responsible parties.

The incident drew swift reactions from various quarters. Human rights activist Omoyele Sowore condemned the harassment as unprofessional and shameful, calling for the immediate release of El-Rufai’s passport and directly appealing to President Bola Tinubu. Additionally, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar paid a solidarity visit to El-Rufai at his residence, expressing support and emphasizing the necessity for opposition figures to unite ahead of the 2027 general election. Atiku echoed the sentiment that Nigeria must resist any attempts to become a one-party state. These developments unfold amid El-Rufai’s prior public statements expressing concerns about a widening crackdown on opposition figures, suggesting he might be a target, especially after the arrest of some of his associates.