By Obinna Uballa
Tensions flared at the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) headquarters in Abuja on Monday as groups of protesters gathered ahead of the arrival of Nasir El-Rufai. While some demonstrators voiced support for the former governor, others demanded that the anti-graft agency thoroughly question him.
A mild standoff occurred when some members of El-Rufai’s entourage were temporarily prevented from entering the commission’s office in Jabi, Abuja.
The former governor honoured the EFCC invitation following legal counsel’s clarification after a botched attempt to detain him at Abuja airport on Thursday.
Ubong Esop Akpan, El-Rufai’s lawyer, explained that the EFCC invitation was initially delivered while his client was abroad, making immediate compliance “logistically impossible and legally unreasonable.”
“In response, we formally communicated with the EFCC on his behalf since December 2025, assuring compliance upon his return. Yesterday, we explicitly notified them that he would voluntarily appear at their office by 10:00 a.m. on Monday, February 16, 2026, specifying the precise place and time for addressing the invitation,” Akpan said.
He added that the attempted arrest “infringes upon key constitutional provisions guaranteeing fundamental freedoms” and described the action as “arbitrary and an abuse of state power.”
Akpan demanded “the immediate and unconditional cessation of all unlawful efforts to detain Malam El-Rufai, the return of his passport, and a formal apology for this egregious infringement on his dignity and rights.”
