Protest erupts in Abuja as Nasir El-Rufai arrives EFCC office 

Protests erupted at the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) headquarters in Abuja on Monday as Nasir El-Rufai arrived to honour an invitation from the anti-graft agency. Supporters and critics clashed outside the Jabi office, with some calling for a thorough investigation while others defended the former governor.

A brief standoff occurred when members of El-Rufai’s entourage were temporarily barred from entering the EFCC premises. The former governor’s visit followed a failed attempt to detain him at Abuja airport on Thursday.

Ubong Esop Akpan, El-Rufai’s lawyer, explained that the EFCC invitation had been delivered while his client was abroad, making immediate compliance impossible. “The invitation was delivered while Malam El-Rufai was overseas, making any demand for immediate appearance impractical and legally unfair,” Akpan said.

He added that all communications with EFCC had assured voluntary compliance upon El-Rufai’s return. “We formally informed the EFCC in December 2025 and again yesterday that he would appear at 10:00 a.m. on Monday, February 16, 2026. Attempting his arrest despite this commitment is arbitrary and violates constitutional protections,” Akpan said.

The lawyer condemned the airport incident as an abuse of state power and demanded the immediate return of El-Rufai’s passport and a formal apology for the infringement of his rights and dignity.