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El-Rufai alleges ICPC used DSS to seize his passport and attempt arrest at Abuja airport after return from Cairo.

Former Kaduna governor Nasir El‑Rufai says security operatives tried to detain him at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport upon his return from Cairo.

El-Rufai told reporters the men were from the DSS and that they moved without presenting any arrest warrant or formal invitation. Videos from the scene show a tense stand-off near the arrival gate.

His team says the operatives seized the former governor’s international passport during the encounter. 

Supporters at the airport intervened and helped El-Rufai leave the area without being taken into custody.

El-Rufai further told BBC Pidgin he was nearly “abducted” and claimed the operation was carried out at the instigation of the ICPC. 

He said about 50 plain-clothed officers surrounded him and that no lawful documents were shown.

Aides and his lawyers condemned the move as unlawful and called for a formal explanation from relevant agencies. 

They say El-Rufai has already signalled his readiness to cooperate with lawful invitations but not with surprise detentions. 

Security sources quoted by some outlets say the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission had previously issued an invitation, but those sources also told reporters the EFCC was not the agency that approached El-Rufai at the airport. That distinction is important to the unfolding accounts. 

The episode has produced sharp reactions online and among political circles. Observers say the incident raises questions about procedure and the use of security powers in high-profile probes. Many are calling for an independent explanation so public trust is not damaged further. 

For now, El-Rufai remains at liberty, his team says, and the passport seizure and circumstances of the airport meeting are matters his lawyers are seeking to resolve. Authorities involved have yet to publish a full, public account.