JUST-IN: Five security officers arrested over El-Rufai airport incident

Five security personnel who attended to former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport on February 12, 2026, have been arrested over allegations of professional misconduct and bribery.

The officers — drawn from the Nigeria Police Force, the Department of State Services, the Nigeria Immigration Service, and Aviation Security (AVSEC) — are accused of receiving bribes to grant El-Rufai access to restricted security areas within the airport, thereby obstructing official security operations.

According to security sources, those detained include Ayuba Yakubu, an Assistant Superintendent of Police; Murtala Inuwa, a DSS operative; Najeeb Murtala, an Assistant Superintendent of Immigration; and Musa Adamu and Salihu Victor, both Aviation Security personnel.

Authorities allege that the officers confessed to facilitating unauthorised access to restricted sections of the airport on the day the former governor arrived from overseas.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the DSS said the arrests followed a joint investigation involving the DSS, the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), and the Federal Ministry of Aviation.

“At the end of a joint investigation… five officers have been detained,” the statement read.

The agency further disclosed that the suspects have been handed over to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) for prosecution.

While confirming the arrests, the DSS clarified that other officers from the NIS and NCS who did not collect bribes but allegedly abused their official positions to facilitate unauthorised access would face administrative sanctions.

The development adds another layer to the controversy surrounding El-Rufai’s return to Nigeria, with security agencies vowing to uphold discipline and accountability within their ranks.