El-Rufai’s media aide, Muyiwa Adekeye, said the former governor refused to accompany the agents without receiving a formal invitation. Adekeye claimed on social media that the operatives then confiscated El-Rufai’s international passport from one of his aides.
By Thursday evening, security authorities had not issued any official statement about the alleged incident.
The airport confrontation occurred one day after El-Rufai told BBC Hausa in an interview that he expected to be arrested at any time. He accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of forcing politicians to either fall in line with the party or face consequences, and said several of his former associates had already been detained.
