Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-RufaiFormer Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai
The Department of State Services (DSS) has arrested some security operatives implicated in the security breach at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, during the failed arrest of former Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, upon his return to Nigeria from Egypt, on February 12.
Bellnews recalls that the secret police failed in its bid to arrest El-Rufai, but his passport was eventually seized.
Confirming the development, the former governor’s spokesman, Muyiwa Adekeye, had announced the seizure of his principal’s passport after the botched arrest attempt.
He wrote on 𝕏, “Security agents today attempted to arrest Malam Nasir@elrufai as he arrived on a flight from Cairo. Malam El- Rufai declined to follow them without a formal Invitation. They however snatched his international passport from an aide.”
El-Rufai later honoured the invitation from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and was grilled for three days before he was granted bail, but the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) later arrested him.
Giving an update on the situation, the DSS, in a statement on Tuesday, said the security operatives could not arrest El-Rufa at the airport because he allegedly bribed some security operatives upon his return from Egypt.
However, the DSS clarified that not all those arrested collected bribes, but that they consented to the act and would be appropriately sanctioned.
The statement read, “At the end of a joint investigation by Department of State Services (DSS), Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and Federal Ministry of Aviation, five officers have been detained.”
They are:
i. Ayuba YAKUBU (ASP) – POLICE.
ii. Murtala Inuwa – DSS
iii. Najeeb MURTALA (ASI) – NIS
iv. Musa ADAMU – Aviation
Security ( AVSEC).
v. Salihu VICTOR – AVSEC.
“They have all confessed to receiving bribes to facilitate unauthorized entry into Restricted Areas, to obstruct lawful security operation in an unprecedented manner.
“They have been handed over to Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) for prosecution.
“Others from NIS and NCS whose involvement is not criminal; that is, did not receive bribe, but abuse their uniforms to facilitate unauthorized access, will face administrative action.”