Tension erupted at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on Thursday following reports that security operatives attempted to detain former Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, shortly after his arrival from Cairo, Egypt.
According to his media aide, Muyiwa Adekeye, the former governor declined to accompany the operatives, insisting that he would only respond to a formal invitation. Adekeye alleged that the security agents subsequently seized El-Rufai’s international passport from one of his aides during the encounter.
“As he arrived, security agents approached him, but Malam El-Rufai declined to follow them without a formal invitation. They, however, took his international passport from an aide,” Adekeye stated.
As of press time, security authorities have not issued any official confirmation regarding the reported incident.
The development comes barely a day after El-Rufai, in an interview with BBC Hausa, said he could be arrested in Nigeria at any moment. He accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of pressuring politicians to align with the party or face political consequences.
El-Rufai also alleged that some of his former associates had already been detained.
“Four people we worked with in Kaduna have been arrested; so it is only a matter of time before they come for me too,” he said.
VANGUARD