Five security operatives have been arrested and are to be prosecuted over the February 12, 2026, security breach at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja, in an incident authorities said involved former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai.
The arrests followed 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.
Those detained are ASP Ayuba Yakubu of the Nigeria Police Force, Murtala Inuwa of the DSS, Najeeb Murtala of the Immigration Service, and Aviation Security personnel Musa Adamu and Salihu Victor.
Investigators said the suspects allegedly confessed to receiving bribes in exchange for granting unauthorized access to restricted areas of the airport and for tampering with established security procedures. Authorities described the incident as a serious insider breach of critical national infrastructure.
The suspects have been handed over to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) for prosecution.
Meanwhile, other Immigration and Customs officers who were found to have improperly used their official uniforms to aid unauthorized access but were not considered criminally culpable will face internal disciplinary action.
Authorities said the move underscores a zero-tolerance stance against internal compromise within Nigeria’s aviation security architecture.
