Former Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, has stated that he will comply with an invitation from the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) on Wednesday, February 18, 2026.
In a post on his official X handle on Friday, El-Rufai confirmed his intention to appear before the commission. This follows an incident at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja the previous day, which he characterized as an unsuccessful abduction attempt.
The former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory explained that the ICPC formally delivered an invitation to him following Thursday’s airport incident. “Yesterday, after the futile attempt to abduct me, the ICPC delivered a letter to invite me to their office. My lawyer has written to confirm that I will be attending the ICPC office on Wednesday, 18 February 2026,” his post read.
This situation stems from an encounter at the Abuja airport on Thursday, where security operatives allegedly moved to detain the former governor upon his return from Cairo, Egypt. According to his media aide, Muyiwa Adekeye, the operatives attempted to hold him without a proper invitation and confiscated his international passport.
El-Rufai’s legal representative, Ubong Akpan, criticized the airport incident as unlawful, asserting that while his client is prepared to engage with legal procedures, those procedures must be properly observed. He described the airport actions as a breach of constitutional rights and established protocols.
Mr. Akpan further noted that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had previously sent an invitation while El-Rufai was overseas. The legal team had responded, indicating the former governor’s readiness to appear voluntarily upon his return. “The invitation from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission was delivered to Malam El-Rufai’s residence while he was already abroad. 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 on Thursday.
