Five officers accused of blocking arrest operation
Five security officials stationed at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja are set to face prosecution after investigators alleged they accepted bribes from former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai to obstruct a planned arrest operation.
According to a statement issued by security authorities and shared with investigators, the officers facilitated unauthorised access to restricted areas of the airport and interfered with a lawful security operation during the incident.
“They have all confessed to receiving bribes to facilitate unauthorised entry into Restricted Areas, to obstruct lawful security operations in an unprecedented manner,” the statement said.
The officers have been handed over to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) for prosecution.
Officers identified across multiple security agencies
Authorities identified the officers accused in the case as:
- Ayuba Yakubu – Nigeria Police Force
- Murtala Inuwa – State Security Service (SSS)
- Najeeb Murtala – Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS)
- Musa Adamu – Aviation Security (AVSEC)
- Salihu Victor – Aviation Security (AVSEC)
The case emerged after a joint investigation involving the State Security Service, the Nigeria Immigration Service and the Federal Ministry of Aviation.
Investigators said the officers allegedly received payments to allow El-Rufai access through restricted airport areas and disrupt attempts by security agents to detain him.
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The airport incident that triggered the investigation
The incident occurred on 12 February, when SSS operatives attempted to arrest El-Rufai after he arrived in Abuja from Cairo, Egypt.
According to court filings later submitted by the ICPC at the Federal High Court in Abuja, the anti-corruption agency had alerted the SSS to detain the former governor once he landed in Nigeria.
However, the arrest attempt reportedly failed after the security officers allegedly helped him move through restricted airport areas.
Although the arrest did not succeed, authorities said security operatives seized El-Rufai’s international passport during the confrontation.
Arrest, release and re-arrest
Following the airport incident, El-Rufai later honoured an invitation from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) after his legal representatives informed the agency he would appear on 16 February.
His lawyer, Ubong Akpan, said the EFCC invitation letter was delivered while his client was already outside Nigeria.
El-Rufai was subsequently detained for two days before being released, only to be re-arrested by SSS operatives and handed over to the ICPC.
He has since remained in the custody of the anti-corruption agency as investigators probe allegations of money laundering and abuse of office during his tenure as Kaduna State governor.
Additional allegations surrounding the case
The former governor is also facing a separate prosecution initiated by the SSS over allegations that he intercepted the phone communications of National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu.
During a televised interview on Arise TV, El-Rufai claimed that Ribadu’s phone conversations had been tapped and that he overheard discussions about plans to detain him.
Security agencies responded by filing cybercrime charges, arguing that the alleged interception violates Section 12(1) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) (Amendment) Act, 2024.
Authorities later conducted a search of El-Rufai’s residence in Abuja.
The ICPC said investigators recovered phone-tapping devices and other electronic materials, although the former governor’s family disputes that claim.
El-Rufai denies wrongdoing
El-Rufai has not publicly responded to the latest bribery allegations involving airport officers.
However, he has consistently rejected accusations brought against him since returning from Cairo earlier this year.
The former governor, who defected from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in 2025, has repeatedly described the investigations as politically motivated persecution.
His son, Bello El-Rufai, a member of the House of Representatives, recently disputed claims by investigators that phone-tapping equipment was discovered during a search of the family residence.
A case touching multiple institutions
The unfolding case now spans several Nigerian institutions:
- State Security Service (SSS) – attempted arrest and cybercrime charges
- ICPC – bribery and corruption investigation
- EFCC – financial crime inquiries
- Federal High Court – litigation involving El-Rufai’s fundamental rights suit
The prosecution of the five airport officers will likely become a central test of the corruption allegations surrounding the failed arrest operation.
Why the case carries national implications
Beyond the fate of the officers, the case raises wider questions about security discipline within sensitive national infrastructure such as international airports.
If the allegations are proven in court, investigators say the case could represent one of the most unusual instances of security personnel obstructing a coordinated law-enforcement operation at a major Nigerian airport.
For now, the focus shifts to the ICPC, which is expected to file formal charges as the investigation continues to unfold.
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