El-Rufai decries executive overreach after airport arrest attempt
Former Kaduna governor condemns security operatives’ action, demands adherence to rule of law
A former Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, has strongly criticised what he termed an unlawful attempt by security operatives to arrest him at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, upon his return from Cairo, Egypt.
The ex-governor, in a statement posted on his verified X handle on Thursday, denounced the incident as a clear case of executive overreach and flagrant disregard for constitutional principles.
“My lawyers have issued a statement that condemns the illegal attempt to arrest me today at the Abuja airport upon my arrival from Cairo,” El-Rufai stated.
He added, “Our country must outgrow executive overreach and deliberate disregard for the rule of law.”
PUNCH Online gathered that security agents had swooped on the former governor moments after his aircraft touched down in the nation’s capital.
His media adviser, Mr Muyiwa Adekeye, disclosed that the operatives confronted El-Rufai at the airport and sought to whisk him away without producing any formal invitation or arrest warrant.
Adekeye alleged that the former governor resisted the move, insisting on proper legal procedure, whereupon the agents forcibly seized his international passport from one of his aides before departing the scene.
“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,” the statement read.
The media aide further claimed, “They, however, snatched his passport from an aide.”
At press time, security agencies had yet to issue any official statement regarding the incident or to confirm whether the former governor was under investigation for any alleged infraction.