The Department of State Services (DSS), the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), and the Federal Ministry of Aviation collaborated on an investigation that resulted in the arrests.
The security breach at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja, on February 12, 2026, which authorities claim implicated former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, has resulted in the arrest and prosecution of five security personnel.
The Department of State Services (DSS), the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), and the Federal Ministry of Aviation collaborated on an investigation that resulted in the arrests.ASP Ayuba Yakubu of the Nigeria Police Force, Murtala Inuwa of the DSS, Najeeb Murtala of the Immigration Service, and Musa Adamu and Salihu Victor of Aviation Security are among those held.
The suspects allegedly admitted to accepting bribes to allow unauthorised access to restricted areas of the airport and to obstruct legitimate security operations, according to investigators. The development was regarded by authorities as a serious insider breach of vital national infrastructure. Since then, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has been tasked with prosecuting the accused. In the meantime, internal disciplinary actions will be taken against other Immigration and Customs employees who were found to have abused their official uniforms to enable illegal access but were not found to be criminally culpable.
According to authorities, Nigeria’s aviation security system has a zero-tolerance attitude on internal compromise.
