Ex-Kaduna governor alleges ICPC and DSS tried to detain him at Abuja airport; ex-VP visits in solidarity to demand calm.
Former Kaduna governor Nasir El-Rufai says agents from the ICPC, working with the DSS, confronted him at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport after he returned from Cairo.
He told visitors that the move was not led by the EFCC but by the ICPC, and that the operation appeared to follow orders from the office of the Nuhu Ribadu.
El-Rufai said ICPC operatives sought to hold him at the airport and that no prior invitation or formal notice had been issued to him by the agency. He described the episode as sudden and troubling.
Former vice-president Atiku Abubakar visited El-Rufai that same night to offer solidarity. The visitor urged calm and called for political unity as leaders sort the facts.
Supporters of the former governor insist the move points to political targeting; authorities have not publicly released a full account of what led to the airport confrontation.
El-Rufai also referenced the EFCC by name to note that its officers were not involved in the attempt. He warned that security and anti-corruption tools should not be used as instruments of political pressure.
The incident adds fresh strain to opposition talks ahead of the 2027 general election. Some opposition figures say the episode highlights the need for a united front; others are calling for an impartial probe.
For now, El-Rufai has asked for a formal explanation. Security agencies and anti-graft bodies have a duty to clarify their actions quickly so public confidence is not further eroded.
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