Counsel to former Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, has strongly condemned what they described as an attempted illegal arrest of their client upon his arrival in Abuja from Cairo, Egypt, threatening to institute legal action against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The legal team, led by Ubong Esop Akpan of Ubong Akpan Chambers, accused security operatives of attempting to arrest El-Rufai on Wednesday afternoon when he arrived at the Abuja airport aboard Egypt Air flight MS 877 from Cairo.
In a statement, the lawyers described the move as a “flagrant violation of constitutional rights, executive overreach, and a deliberate disregard for the rule of law.” They maintained that the EFCC’s invitation was delivered to El-Rufai’s residence while he was already outside the country, making any demand for his immediate appearance unreasonable.
According to the statement, “The invitation from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission was delivered to Malam El-Rufai’s residence while he was already abroad, rendering it inherently illogical and impractical to demand immediate attendance to answer purported allegations.”
The legal team argued that such an approach presumed instant compliance from someone outside the jurisdiction, without consideration for logistical realities or fairness under the law.
They, however, stressed that the former governor would not evade lawful processes. “Let us make it publicly and abundantly clear, Malam Nasir El-Rufai will never take the cowardly route of running away from law enforcement. He will honour without preconditions all legitimate law enforcement summons,” the statement read.
The lawyers further disclosed that they would pursue legal remedies against those responsible for what they termed unconstitutional conduct, noting that the judiciary remains the ultimate arbiter in the matter.
“Legal action will be pursued against all persons and agencies responsible for this unconstitutional conduct to uphold accountability and deter future abuses. The judiciary remains the ultimate arbiter, and we shall seek redress through all available legal channels to protect the sanctity of the law,” they added.
El-Rufai, through his counsel, also criticised what was described as executive overreach, stating that Nigeria must move beyond actions that undermine constitutional principles and the rule of law.
