Nigeria’s secret police, the Department of State Services (DSS), have detained five security personnel over their alleged roles in the botched arrest of former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, at Abuja’s airport last month.
The incident occurred on February 12 at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport when El-Rufai returned from Cairo, Egypt. Security operatives reportedly attempted to take him into custody upon arrival, but the move failed. However, his international passport was seized during the confrontation.
According to reports, the DSS launched an internal investigation into the circumstances surrounding the failed operation. The probe, conducted in collaboration with the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), and the Federal Ministry of Aviation, allegedly uncovered misconduct among some airport security officials.
Those detained include an Assistant Superintendent of Police, Ayuba Yakubu; Murtala Inuwa of the DSS; Najeeb Murtala, an Assistant Superintendent of Immigration; and two Aviation Security (AVSEC) officers, Musa Adamu and Salihu Victor.
The DSS alleged that the officers accepted bribes to grant unauthorised access to restricted airport areas and to interfere with a lawful security operation. The agency claimed the suspects admitted to facilitating improper entry into secure zones, thereby obstructing the attempted arrest.
In a statement posted on X shortly after the incident, El-Rufai’s spokesperson, Muyiwa Adekeye, said security agents tried to detain the former governor without presenting a formal invitation. He alleged that although El-Rufai declined to accompany them without proper documentation, officials confiscated his passport from an aide.
Following the airport standoff, El-Rufai honoured an invitation from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), where he was interrogated for three days and later granted bail. He was subsequently taken into custody by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), where he remains detained.
The DSS has since filed criminal charges against the former governor, alleging that he evaded arrest at the airport by orchestrating bribes to compromise security procedures. However, the agency was unable to arraign him in court on February 25, citing his continued detention by the ICPC.
The detained officers have reportedly been transferred to the ICPC for prosecution, while other personnel from the NIS and NCS who allegedly enabled unauthorised access without receiving bribes are expected to face internal disciplinary action.
El-Rufai has consistently denied any wrongdoing, describing the allegations and actions against him as politically motivated and accusing the current administration of pursuing a witch-hunt.
