ABUJA — Not everyone is buying the “heroic resistance” narrative following Mallam Nasir El-Rufai’s tense encounter with security operatives at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport.
Deji Adeyanju, a prominent human rights lawyer and activist, has dismissed the former Kaduna State Governor as a “sensational drama artist,” arguing that the Department of State Services (DSS) achieved exactly what they wanted: his travel documents.
The “Passport” Theory
Speaking on Friday, February 13, 2026, Adeyanju punctured the idea that the DSS failed in an attempt to arrest the former governor. According to him, the security agency had a singular, tactical mission—to ground El-Rufai in Nigeria while the EFCC’s ₦423 billion probe continues.
“I am not convinced the DSS planned to arrest El-Rufai; they were after his passport, and they got it,” Adeyanju remarked during a press briefing. “If the DSS truly intended to arrest him, he would have been in their custody within minutes. No amount of shouting for the cameras would have stopped them.”
Prepared for the Spotlight?
Adeyanju pointed to the “convenient” timing and the presence of cameras as evidence that El-Rufai was playing a part. He suggested that the former governor, who recently defected to the opposition African Democratic Congress (ADC), is using the incident to rebrand himself as an “oppressed victim” of the Tinubu administration.
“He was very prepared for the cameras at the airport,” Adeyanju noted. “It was a calculated performance designed to stir up public sympathy and paint himself as a champion of the rule of law.”
A Reminder of the “Kaduna Record”
The activist didn’t stop at calling out the drama; he took a sharp jab at El-Rufai’s own record regarding civil liberties. Adeyanju reminded Nigerians of the irony of the former governor demanding a warrant before being questioned.
“There is a long list of more than 20 people Nasir El-Rufai arrested in Kaduna without warrants during his time as governor,” Adeyanju said. “It is interesting to see him suddenly become a stickler for legal due process now that the shoe is on the other foot.”
The Road to Monday
Despite the “dare” El-Rufai issued to the presidency, the reality is that he remains in the country without his international passport. While his supporters celebrate his “defiance,” critics like Adeyanju see a man who has been effectively cornered.
All eyes now turn to the EFCC headquarters at 10:00 a.m. on Monday, February 16, 2026. With his travel plans halted and his documents in the hands of the state, the former governor will have to face the anti-graft agency to answer for the multi-billion naira allegations trailing his eight-year tenure.
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During his tenure as Governor of Kaduna State (2015–2023), Nasir El-Rufai’s administration was frequently criticised by rights groups like Amnesty International and the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) for what they termed “judicial harassment” of critics.
The following is a list of high-profile journalists, activists, and citizens arrested or prosecuted under his watch, often involving the Kaduna State Cybercrime Law or “Incitement” charges:
- The Journalists
- Luka Binniyat: Arrested multiple times. In 2017, he spent months in prison over a report in Vanguard. In 2021, he was arrested again over a story in The Epoch Times regarding the Southern Kaduna killings and remained in custody for nearly 90 days.
- Segun Onibiyo: A presenter with Radio Nigeria, arrested in 2019 and held for 24 days over social media posts deemed “inciteful” by the state government.
- Jacob Dickson: An editor at Authentic News Daily, arrested and charged with incitement in 2016 after reporting on a mob action against the Governor.
- Midat Joseph: A Leadership Newspaper correspondent, arrested in 2017 over a WhatsApp group comment and charged with “inciting disturbance.”
- The Activists and Critics
- Steven Kefas: A vocal critic arrested in 2019 in Port Harcourt and transferred to Kaduna, where he spent over 150 days in prison for reposting a story about a traditional ruler’s abduction.
- Abubakar Idris (Dadiyata):Â A prominent social media critic who was forcibly taken from his home in August 2019. While the state denied involvement, his disappearance remains one of the darkest mysteries of that era.
- Audu Maikori: The founder of Chocolate City, arrested in Lagos and transported to Kaduna in 2017 over tweets regarding the Southern Kaduna crisis (he was later awarded ₦40m in damages for the illegal arrest).
- Gloria Mabeiam Ballason:Â A human rights lawyer who faced multiple attempts at arrest and had her law office “visited” by security agents after she filed cases against the state government.
- The Students and Lecturers
- Dr. John Danfulani:Â A lecturer at Kaduna State University (KASU) who was suspended, arrested, and spent days in prison in 2016 for a Facebook post critical of the government’s economic policies.
- KASU Students:Â Several students faced suspension or arrest for protesting tuition fee hikes or organizing “anti-government” campus activities between 2021 and 2022.
- The Political Rivals
- Senator Shehu Sani:Â Though not always involving physical arrest, Sani faced constant legal and political battles, including the demolition of his factional party office by the Kaduna State Urban Planning and Development Authority (KASUPDA) in a 4:00 a.m. operation.
Analyst’s Note: Deji Adeyanju’s point is that while El-Rufai is currently demanding “formal invitations” and “warrants” at the airport, his administration was often accused of bypassing those very same procedures when dealing with his own critics.
