The Department of State Services (DSS) has detained five security officers for allegedly compromising professional standards during former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai’s return to Nigeria on February 12, 2026.

The officers, drawn from the Nigeria Police Force, DSS, Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), and Aviation Security (AVSEC), reportedly accepted bribes to allow El-Rufai unauthorized access to restricted areas at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA) in Abuja, obstructing security operations.

Those detained include:

Ayuba Yakubu, Assistant Superintendent of Police

Mutala Inuwa, DSS operative

Najeeb Murtala, Assistant Superintendent of Immigration

Musa Adamu, AVSEC

Salihu Victor, AVSEC

A security official stated that all five confessed to taking bribes to facilitate the unauthorized entry. They have been handed over to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) for prosecution.

The DSS noted that other officers from NIS and NCS who did not take bribes but misused their uniforms to enable unauthorized access will face administrative action.

The development adds another layer to ongoing investigations surrounding El-Rufai’s movements and legal challenges since his return to Nigeria.