Five security officers have been arrested and are set to face prosecution over the February 12, 2026 security breach at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja, in an incident authorities say involved former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai.
Joint Security Investigation
The arrests followed a coordinated investigation by the Department of State Services (DSS), Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), and the Federal Ministry of Aviation.
Those detained include:
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ASP Ayuba Yakubu of the Nigeria Police Force
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Murtala Inuwa of the DSS
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Najeeb Murtala of the Immigration Service
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Aviation Security personnel Musa Adamu and Salihu Victor
Allegations of Bribery and Insider Compromise
Investigators disclosed that the suspects allegedly admitted to receiving bribes to grant unauthorised access to restricted areas within the airport and to interfere with established security protocols.
Authorities described the incident as a serious insider breach affecting critical national infrastructure, raising concerns about internal vulnerabilities within Nigeria’s aviation security framework.
The suspects have since been transferred to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) for prosecution.
Internal Disciplinary Measures Ongoing
Meanwhile, additional Immigration and Customs personnel who were found to have misused official uniforms to facilitate unauthorised access—but were not considered criminally culpable—will face internal disciplinary action.
Officials say the response underscores the government’s zero-tolerance stance on corruption and internal compromise within the aviation sector.
Further details are expected as the ICPC proceeds with formal charges and court action in the coming days.
