“Handcuffs Await Me” – El-Rufai
ABUJA — Former Kaduna State Governor Mallam Nasir El-Rufai is flying back to Nigeria into what he describes as a “calculated trap.”
In a bombshell development on Wednesday, just hours before his expected arrival in Abuja, the former Minister issued a Confidential Briefing Memo alleging that plans have been concluded to arrest and detain him indefinitely the moment he steps on Nigerian soil.
The memo, dated February 10, 2026, paints a picture of a man who believes he is being hunted not for crimes, but for his political relevance ahead of the 2027 elections.
The Accusation: “Ribadu is Behind It”
El-Rufai did not mince words. He specifically accused the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, of orchestrating the plot. “Credible information establishes the certainty of my arrest and detention without basis upon my imminent return,” El-Rufai wrote. He alleges that Ribadu is “actively pressing agencies” to detain him on phantom charges, driven by “personal envy, political spite, and a desire to eliminate a future potential competitor.” Most damningly, El-Rufai claimed these actions have the “tacit approval” of President Bola Tinubu, signaling a total breakdown of the relationship between the two APC titans.
The official reason for the looming arrest is the N423 billion indictment by the Kaduna State House of Assembly. Civil society groups, including the Northern Christians Accord, have recently given the EFCC a 72-hour ultimatum to pick up the former Governor.
However, El-Rufai insists this is merely a smokescreen. “I do not seek immunity from lawful investigation,” he stated in the memo. “I only demand that any arrest be based on a disclosed offense, a valid warrant, and that I am granted immediate access to counsel. They want to lock me away like they did my associates.”
Despite the “clear and present danger” of detention, El-Rufai confirmed he is still returning. “They want to force me into self-imposed exile. I will not give them that pleasure,” he declared. “I am coming home to clear my name or to face their tyranny. Silence is no longer golden.”
Political analysts view this showdown as the opening salvo of the 2027 presidential race. By labeling himself a “future competitor” in his memo, El-Rufai has all but confirmed his ambition to challenge the current administration, potentially under the banner of a new coalition.
As his flight draws closer to Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, the EFCC and DSS are reportedly on high alert. The question now is not if he will be arrested, but when—and whether his detention will spark the political firestorm the Presidency is trying to avoid.