Drama at Abuja airport over Security agents’ attempt to arrest El-Rufai
By Ndukaku Ihe
There was a mild drama at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International airport, Abuja on Thursday as Security operatives attempted to arrest the former Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir el-Rufai on his return from Cairo, Egypt.
The claim was made by his media aide, Muyiwa Adekeye, in a post on X, where he stated that operatives approached el-Rufai shortly after he disembarked from his flight but that the former governor declined to accompany them in the absence of a formal invitation.
“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 international passport from an aide,” Adekeye wrote.
Counsel to el-Rufai, Ubong Akpan, described the incident as a “flagrant violation of constitutional rights” and “executive overreach,” alleging that operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) moved to detain the former governor without presenting a warrant or formal invitation.
In a statement, Akpan said el-Rufai requested to see a letter of invitation but none was produced. He alleged that the operatives subsequently “physically snatched” the former governor’s international passport from an aide, describing the act as unlawful and a violation of property rights.
Akpan further disclosed that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had in December while the former Kaduna state governor was away, delivered an invitation to his residence, which his legal team considered impractical at the time.
According to the counsel, the team had formally assured the EFCC of el-Rufai’s willingness to comply and notified the agency on February 11, 2026, that he would voluntarily appear at its office by 10:00 a.m. on Monday, February 16, 2026.
Despite this, Akpan said the attempted arrest proceeded.
The lawyer cited alleged infringements on el-Rufai’s constitutional rights, including rights to personal liberty, fair hearing, dignity of the human person, freedom of movement, and ownership of property.
“There exists no justifiable basis for this attempted arrest or the accompanying mistreatment. Despite prior intelligence of plans to effect this arrest, Malam El-Rufai proceeded with his return following medical treatment and rest abroad, publicly affirming his commitment to face any legitimate inquiry. This premeditated interception at the airport exemplifies lawlessness and an abuse of state power,” the statement read.
Akpan demanded the immediate return of el-Rufai’s passport, cessation of what he termed unlawful attempts to detain him, and a formal apology from the authorities.
He maintained that the former governor would not evade law enforcement and would honour all legitimate summons without preconditions.
The development comes amid recent claims by el-Rufai that he could face a politically motivated arrest upon his return to Nigeria. He had also alleged that some of his associates were being detained following his criticisms of the current administration.
As of the time of filing this report, security agencies had not issued an official response to the allegations.
Meanwhile, the former Kaduna State Governor has condemned what he described as an illegal attempt by security operatives to arrest him at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, following his arrival from Cairo, Egypt.
El-Rufai made this known in a post on his verified X handle on Thursday, where he accused authorities of executive overreach and disregard for the rule of law.
According to El-Rufai, “My lawyers have issued a statement that condemns the illegal attempt to arrest me today at the Abuja airport upon my arrival from Cairo.
“Our country must outgrow executive overreach and deliberate disregard for the rule of law.”
As of the time of filing this report, no official statement has been issued by security agencies to clarify the circumstances surrounding the incident or to confirm whether El-Rufai is under investigation.
The development has sparked renewed debate over the conduct of security agencies and concerns about alleged executive overreach, particularly involving opposition figures and former public office holders.
The former governor had recently strongly criticised Senate President Godswill Akpabio following the Senate’s rejection of a proposed amendment to the Electoral Act that sought to make real-time electronic transmission of election results mandatory.
He had spoken in an interview with Trust TV, blaming Akpabio for the Senate’s decision, accusing him of influencing the outcome.
He said: “It’s not the Senate that is the problem. Akpabio, who is a scumbag by every definition, is the problem. He is nothing but a lapdog. The senators will have to come together and protest and prevent that from happening when they reconvene.”
When asked whether his comments were too harsh, the former governor maintained his stance, saying, “I do not consider him distinguished. We’ve known each other since the 1990s. He knows why.”
Also the former governor had been at loggerhead with the present government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, insisting that Tinubu will not win 2027 presidential election.
Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, has criticised former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, over his recent remarks concerning President Bola Tinubu’s chances in the 2027 presidential election.
El-Rufai, during an interview on Arise Television, had stated that President Tinubu would require a “miracle” to secure re-election in 2027. He claimed that a poll conducted by his group across several regions, particularly in the South-East and the North, showed a 91 percent disapproval rating for the president, adding that the rating in Lagos stood at 78 percent.
Reacting in a post on X on Wednesday, Onanuga referenced a remark made by former President Olusegun Obasanjo in his three-part memoir, My Watch, in which Obasanjo commented on el-Rufai’s character.
Quoting from the memoir, Onanuga said el-Rufai has a tendency to elevate himself beyond his actual standing and is often inclined toward damaging reputations.
“Nasir’s penchant for reputation savaging is almost pathological. Why does he do it? Very early in my interaction with him, I appreciated his talent,” Onanuga quoted Obasanjo as writing.
“At the same time, I recognised his weaknesses; the worst being his inability to be loyal to anybody or any issue consistently for long, but only to Nasir El-Rufai,” the excerpt read.Xxxxxxx
Senate berates AGF over 2025 budget releases, zero capital votes, unpaid contracts
By Idun Maximus
The Senate Committee on Finance, yesterday, subjected the Accountant-General of the Federation (AGF), Dr. Shamseideen Ogunjimi, to intense scrutiny over what lawmakers described as poor budget releases, zero capital allocation to several Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), and the growing crisis of unpaid executed contracts.
From the outset of the budget defence session, senators vented their frustration over what they termed systemic failures in fund disbursement and a centralised payment framework that has allegedly worsened contractors’ hardship and stalled project delivery across the country.
Chairman of the committee, Sani Musa, set the tone in his opening remarks, warning that the Senate would not proceed with consideration of the AGF’s budget until concrete assurances were given on reforms.
“We are not going to take your budget until we are satisfied that your office is ready to do things that will make things work for Nigerians through expected assurances from you”, Musa declared.
He criticised the federal government’s continued reliance on envelope budgeting, describing it as ineffective and in urgent need of review.
“One of the issues that must be urgently resolved is the envelope budgeting system being used by the federal government on a yearly basis, but not producing desired results, requiring alternative models like performance-based ones,” he said.
Adding to the barrage of criticism, Danjuma Goje said the Senate and Nigerians were increasingly embarrassed by the persistent failures in budget implementation since 2024.
“Here at the National Assembly, we have never seen contractors bombarding us on a weekly basis for intervention on non-payment of executed contracts,” Goje lamented.
He questioned the government’s revenue narrative following recent economic reforms, asking: “Impression given to us and Nigerians by the government is that with removal of subsidy and harmonisation of the forex market, more revenue or more money, where is the money now? Why are contractors owed? And why was there zero allocation for capital votes of most of the MDAs in 2025?”
Goje described the situation as both “embarrassing and baffling,” stressing that the current state of budget execution was unacceptable.
On his part, Senator Muntari Dandutse (APC, Katsina South) expressed disbelief that despite reports of N28 trillion in revenue generation by government agencies, contractors were still unpaid and capital allocations to MDAs had virtually dried up.
“Why N28 trillion was reportedly generated by revenue agencies and yet 85% of contractors are being owed and zero allocation for most of the MDAs in the 2025 capital component budget? What happened to the N28 trillion?” he queried.
Dandutse also faulted the centralised payment system, insisting that it had worsened the crisis.
“Even the introduced Centralised Payment System is not helping matters at all. The system is very compromised and seriously affecting the integrity of the government,” he said.
Other senators, including Abdul Ningi, Asuquo Ekpenyong, Adams Oshiomhole (APC, Edo North), Aminu Abbas, and Patrick Ndubueze, also weighed in with strong remarks. Ndubueze urged the AGF to advise President Bola Tinubu to “look inward” to prevent sabotage within the system.
Responding to the barrage of criticism, Dr. Ogunjimi attributed the crisis largely to what he called indiscriminate contract awards by MDAs without corresponding funds to back them.
He said the development prompted a government directive, barring MDAs from awarding contracts without verified funding availability. He acknowledged challenges associated with the centralised payment system but assured lawmakers that corrective measures were already underway.
“Though challenges being faced with operation of the Centralised Payment System were not envisaged, they are being addressed for seamless operation,” he said.
The AGF further explained that his office could only release funds that were actually available.
“Yes, as the Accountant General of the Federation, my office is expected to disburse funds to relevant agencies at appropriate time, but that can only be done if the fund is available because I must have the fund before I can disburse,” he stated.
He also reminded senators that the controversial ‘Ways and Means’ financing option previously used to plug funding gaps was no longer in operation.
“I also want to remind us that ‘Ways and Means’ used in the past for such funding is no longer for the good of the nation’s economy,” Ogunjimi added.
Following the public session, the committee proceeded into a closed-door meeting with the AGF for what it described as more detailed and critical engagement on the issues raised.
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Kwankwasiyya Movement urges US Congress to
Reject bill linking Kwankwaso to severe religious freedom violation
By Idun Maximus
The Kwankwasiyya Movement has urged the United States Congress to reject the proposed bill linking their principal, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, to severe religious freedom violation in Nigeria.
The bill, which is entitled, “The Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act 2026 (HR 7457) is promoted by some U S Congressmen.
A statement signed by the spokesperson of Kwankwasiyya Movement, Habibu Sale Mohammed, described the allegations contained in the bill as unfounded, misleading, and inconsistent with the verifiable public record of Senator Kwankwaso’s life and service.
The statement noted that “For over 30 years, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso has served Nigeria at the highest levels as Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, two-term Governor of Kano State, Minister of Defence, Senator of the Federal Republic, and presidential candidate. Throughout this period, he has never been indicted, prosecuted, or credibly accused of religious persecution, extremism, or human rights violations”.
The statement noted that , “The constitutional development of Sharia-based legal systems in certain northern Nigerian states was neither unique to Kano State nor the initiative of one individual”, adding that “multiple states adopted similar legal frameworks within the ambit of Nigeria’s federal constitution, legislative processes, and judicial safeguards. These systems remain subject to constitutional oversight and appellate review”.
“To single out Senator Kwankwaso while similar constitutional arrangements exist across several states raises serious questions about the basis, consistency, and evidentiary standard behind such a recommendation”, the statement held.
“International relations are traditionally guided by contextual understanding and respect for constitutional sovereignty”, the statement added.
“The United States maintains diplomatic and strategic relationships with several sovereign nations whose legal systems incorporate Islamic jurisprudence. It would, therefore, be inconsistent to treat Nigeria’s constitutionally grounded legal pluralism differently without clear and individualised evidence of wrongdoing”.
“Senator Kwankwaso’s records stand firmly against violence, extremism, and terrorism. During his tenure as governor of Kano State, decisive measures were taken to curtail extremist threats and protect lives and property across religious divides. “He maintained constructive engagement with Christian leaders and minority communities and consistently promoted peaceful coexistence.
“His 2023 presidential ticket, which paired him with Bishop Isaac Idahosa, reflected his enduring belief in religious inclusion and national balance”, they added.
“It is, therefore, deeply concerning that an opposition political leader with a longstanding national profile, who has consistently spoken on issues of governance and security, would be isolated in a matter of such gravity without transparent and verifiable findings”, the statement added.
The Kwankwasiyya Movement called on the US Congress to outrightly reject this recommendation and remove Dr Kwankwaso’s name from the proposed bill.
“We believe that the inclusion of Senator Kwankwaso’s name was influenced by certain individuals who are on a mission to settle personal scores with him or by political rivals, or both, and the Congress should not allow its respected chamber to be used for this. Allegations of this magnitude must be grounded in demonstrable facts, not generalised assumptions.
“Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso remains a nationalist, a democrat, and a statesman whose public service has been anchored on justice, unity, and inclusive governance.
“We are confident that fairness, due diligence, and objective assessment will ultimately prevail”, the statement concluded.
