True to his prediction that security agents could move to arrest him over his recent comments, former governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasir El-Rufai today evaded an arrest bid on him by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Abuja.
The incident occurred after his flight from Cairo, Egypt touched down at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in the nation’s capital.
Amon other comments, El-Rufai had recently slammed Senate President Godswill Akpabio over the latter’s alleged resistance to real-time electronic transmission of the 2027 election results, saying the nation’s number three citizen was in league with President Bola Tinubu on that.
“And Akpabio is a Asiwaju lapdog. That’s what’s going on. And the Senators will have to come together and protest and provent that from happening when they reconvene,” he said.
But, thanks to his personal resistance against the EFCC operatives whom he claimed did not extend any official invitation to him, as well as the stiff refusal by his supporters gathered at the airport that he was going anywhere with the EFCC personnel, El-Rufai escaped the bid.
The former governor’s Media Adviser, Muyiwa Adekeye, confirmed the alleged attempt by security agents to arrest him.
Adekeye alleged that the security agents attempted to arrest El-Rufai upon his arrival on a flight from Cairo.
In a statement, Adekeye said El-Rufai declined to accompany the agents without a formal invitation, after which they took his passport from an aide.
He also claimed that the agents seized the former governor’s international passport at the airport.
The full statement from Adekeye reads: “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. They however snatched his passport from an aide.”
However, other reports said supporters of El-Rufai reportedly intervened to prevent the security personnel from arresting him.
According to multiple reports, the operatives attempted to take El-Rufai into custody upon his arrival.
The former governor’s resistance prompted his supporters to intervene and ensure that he left the airport safely.
In a video footage shared online, El-Rufai’s backers can be seen escorting him out of the airport terminal as they chanted his support.
In a separate clip, supporters are heard praising the former governor while ensuring he is safely removed from the scene.
“He is our leader, nothing will happen,” some of the supporters chanted, underscoring the level of public engagement during the incident.
El-Rufai had recently said he believed he could be arrested soon.
In an interview, he alleged that some of his former associates in Kaduna have already been picked up by security agencies, leading him to think he could be next in line.
*PHOTO CAPTION: El-Rufai (seated, smiling) at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport… today.
