When Nasir El-Rufai, the former governor of Kaduna State, arrived at the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport in Abuja on Thursday from Cairo, Egypt, security personnel allegedly tried to arrest him.
Shortly after the incident, Muyiwa Adekeye, El-Rufai’s media adviser, posted the assertion on his verified X (formerly Twitter) handle.
Adekeye said that as the former governor got off his aeroplane, the agents went up to him and tried to arrest him.
According to him, El-Rufai refused to go with the agents, stating that he would not comply with the request unless he received an official invitation.
The statement read, “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 further alleged that the security personnel seized the former governor’s passport during the encounter.
“They, however, snatched his passport from an aide,” he added.
El-Rufai made the allegation during an interview with BBC Hausa, expressing concerns over what he described as growing political intimidation against opposition figures.
The former governor, who recently defected from the ruling All Progressives Congress to the African Democratic Congress, said some of his close associates had already been detained.
“Four people we worked together in Kaduna have been arrested; so it’s only a matter of time before they come for me too,” he said.
Although he stated that he had not yet been arrested, El-Rufai suggested that the arrests of his associates signalled possible action against him.
He further alleged that political pressure was being mounted on politicians to either defect to the APC or remain within the ruling party.
El-Rufai, who governed Kaduna State for eight years under the APC platform, has in recent times intensified his criticism of President Bola Tinubu’s administration and the party’s leadership.
His comments come amid the arrest and ongoing trial of a former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission had accused Malami of offences including abuse of office and money laundering.
The Department of State Service later rearrested him over fresh allegations related to terrorism financing.
Malami, who also defected to the ADC and is eyeing a governorship seat in Kebbi State in 2027, had denied all allegations, describing the charges as a “political witch-hunt” linked to his defection and opposition stance.
