Five Officers Held Over Alleged Bribery Linked to El-Rufai’s Arrival at Abuja Airport

The Department of State Services has detained five security officers over their conduct during the February 12, 2026 arrival of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport.

According to officials, the officers — drawn from the Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Immigration Service, DSS and Aviation Security — allegedly collected bribes to allow access to restricted airport areas, disrupting security procedures in what was described as an “unprecedented manner.”

Those named include Ayuba Yakubu (assistant superintendent of police), Mutala Inuwa (DSS operative), Najeeb Murtala (assistant superintendent of immigration), and AVSEC officers Musa Adamu and Salihu Victor. Authorities say the officers confessed to facilitating unauthorised entry into secured sections of the airport when El-Rufai returned from abroad.

A joint statement read:

“At the end of a joint investigation by the Department of State Services (DSS), the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and the Federal Ministry of Aviation, five officers have been detained.

They are Ayuba Yakubu, Murtala Inuwa, Najeeb Murtala, Musa Adamu and Salihu Victor.

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‘They have all confessed to receiving bribes to facilitate unauthorised entry into restricted areas, to obstruct lawful security operations in an unprecedented manner.

‘They have been handed over to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) for prosecution.’”

While the five officers have been transferred to the ICPC for prosecution, authorities said additional personnel who allegedly abused their official positions, though not implicated in bribery, would be subjected to administrative action.

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