El-Rufai’s Lawyer Links DSS Airport Interception to EFCC Invitation, Says Public Prevented ‘Arbitrary Arrest’

ByEditor

Feb 12, 2026 #DSS attempted arrest Abuja airport, #EFCC Probe, #Egypt Air MS 877, #El-Rufai passport seizure, #Nasir El-Rufai EFCC invitation, #Nigeria constitutional rights, #Ubong Akpan statement

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Counsel to former Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, has directly linked Thursday’s attempted arrest of his client at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, to an earlier invitation from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

In a statement issued in Abuja on Thursday, Ubong Esop Akpan said the move by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) to arrest El-Rufai upon his arrival from Cairo was connected to the EFCC’s summons, despite what he described as prior communication assuring voluntary compliance.

El-Rufai had arrived aboard Egypt Air flight MS 877 when, according to his lawyer, DSS operatives “moved to arrest” him without presenting a warrant or formal letter.

“The invitation from the EFCC was delivered to Malam El-Rufai’s residence while he was already outside the country,” Akpan said. “We formally communicated with the EFCC since December 2025, assuring compliance upon his return.”

He added that his chambers had written again on Wednesday, notifying the Commission that El-Rufai would appear voluntarily at its office at 10am on Monday, February 16, 2026.

“Resorting to arrest despite this clear commitment exemplifies arbitrary conduct and undermines procedural integrity,” he stated.

Another significant element raised in the statement concerns the reaction of bystanders at the airport.

Akpan claimed that ordinary Nigerians present at the scene confronted the operatives and insisted that any arrest must be carried out only through “legitimate process”.

According to him, citizens “surrounded the scene and insisted loudly that he could only be arrested upon a legitimate process”.

The lawyer further alleged that operatives seized El-Rufai’s international passport without presenting legal authority.

“No document, no signed directive, no lawful process,” Akpan said. “There was only raw power.”

Grounding his argument in constitutional law, Akpan cited Sections 35, 36, 34, 41 and 44 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, which guarantee personal liberty, fair hearing, dignity, freedom of movement and property rights.

“No government agency possesses unfettered authority to detain citizens without due process,” he said.

He demanded the immediate return of the passport and a halt to what he termed “unlawful efforts” to detain his client.

“Let us make it publicly and abundantly clear: Malam Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai will never take the cowardly route of running away from law enforcement,” Akpan added. “He will honour, without preconditions, all legitimate law enforcement summons.”

As of press time, neither the DSS nor the EFCC had publicly responded to the allegations or confirmed whether the airport action was directly tied to the EFCC invitation.