Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai has confirmed that he will honour an invitation from the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) on Wednesday, February 18, 2026.
El-Rufai disclosed this in a statement shared on his verified X (formerly Twitter) account on Friday, coming a day after an incident at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, where he alleged that security operatives attempted to detain him upon his return from Cairo, Egypt.
According to the former Federal Capital Territory minister, the anti-graft agency delivered an official invitation letter after what he described as a failed attempt to “abduct” him at the airport.
He stated that his legal team has formally acknowledged the invitation and confirmed his readiness to appear before the commission as scheduled.
His media aide, Muyiwa Adekeye, earlier claimed that operatives attempted to restrain the former governor without presenting a valid warrant and temporarily seized his international passport during the encounter.
El-Rufai’s lawyer, Ubong Akpan, criticised the manner of the attempted arrest, arguing that proper legal procedures were not followed. He maintained that his client has no objection to cooperating with lawful investigations but insisted that due process must be respected.
Akpan further revealed that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had previously sent an invitation to El-Rufai while he was outside the country.
According to him, the former governor’s team informed the EFCC that he would willingly present himself at their office by 10:00 a.m. on Monday, February 16, 2026, upon his return.
The airport incident has since generated significant public attention, with debates continuing over the circumstances surrounding the attempted detention and the ongoing investigations.