Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, will appear before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) by 10:00 a.m. on Monday, February 16, 2026, his lawyer has confirmed.
Ubong Esop Akpan, counsel to the former governor, disclosed this on Thursday while reacting to an alleged attempt by security operatives to arrest El-Rufai at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
According to Akpan, El-Rufai was approached by security agents shortly after arriving from Cairo aboard EgyptAir flight MS 877.
The lawyer described the development as a violation of his client’s constitutional rights, accusing authorities of executive overreach and disregard for due process.
Akpan explained that the EFCC’s invitation letter was delivered to El-Rufai’s residence while he was already outside the country, making immediate compliance impossible.
“The invitation from the EFCC was delivered to Malam El-Rufai’s residence while he was already abroad, rendering it illogical to demand immediate attendance,” he said.
He added that his law firm had been in communication with the anti-graft agency since December 2025, assuring the commission that El-Rufai would honour the invitation upon his return to Nigeria.
“We explicitly notified the EFCC that he would voluntarily appear at their office by 10:00 a.m. on Monday, February 16, 2026,” Akpan stated.
The lawyer argued that any attempt to detain the former governor despite the prior commitment to appear voluntarily amounted to arbitrary conduct and a breach of procedural integrity.
He also called for the return of El-Rufai’s passport, which he alleged was seized during the airport encounter.
As of the time of filing this report, the EFCC had not issued an official response to the allegations.
