JUST-IN: 5 Operatives Arrested Over Bribery Allegation In El-Rufai Airport Case

Five security operatives have been arrested over allegations of bribery to obstruct arrest proceedings in an incident involving former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport.

The operatives were detained following an investigation by the Department of State Services(DSS), Nigeria Immigration Service(NIS), Nigeria Customs Service, and the Federal Ministry of Aviation.

Authorities are probing allegations that the suspects accepted bribes to interfere with enforcement actions related to the airport incident.

LEADERSHIP recalls that the incident occurred at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport on February 12, 2026, when operatives from the Department of State Services reportedly attempted to arrest El-Rufai as he arrived on a flight from Cairo, an action his legal team described as unlawful because no valid arrest warrant or formal invitation was presented at the time.

His international passport was seized during the encounter, and he later honoured an official invitation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to report to its office on February 16, after which he was detained and transferred to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission for further investigation.

During subsequent probes, security officials alleged that some airport personnel accepted bribes to facilitate unauthorised access and obstruct arrest operations, leading to the arrest of five operatives now facing prosecution.