Tension at Abuja Airport as Security Operatives Allegedly Attempt to Arrest El-Rufai

Tension at Abuja Airport as Security Operatives Allegedly Attempt to Arrest El-Rufai

There was tension at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on Thursday following an alleged attempt by security operatives to arrest former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, shortly after he arrived from Cairo, Egypt.

The claim was made by El-Rufai’s Media Adviser, Muyiwa Adekeye, in a post on his verified X handle.

According to Adekeye, security agents approached the former governor immediately after he disembarked from his flight and attempted to take him into custody.

“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,” Adekeye stated.

He added that the former governor refused to accompany the operatives, insisting that he would not honour their request without an official communication.

Adekeye further alleged that during the confrontation, the operatives seized El-Rufai’s passport.

“They, however, snatched his passport from an aide,” he said.

As of the time of filing this report, there was no official statement from security agencies regarding the incident.

The development comes amid heightened political tension involving the former governor, who has recently spoken about alleged pressure and possible arrest threats following his fallout with the ruling party and some government officials.