The legal representatives of former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, have called for the swift return of his international passport after alleging that security agencies made an illegal move to detain him.

El-Rufai’s lawyer, Ubong Esop Akpan, of Ubong Akpan Chambers, in a statement on Friday, urged the officers involved in the incident to issue a public apology.

He accused them of breaching the ex-governor’s constitutional protections.

The lawyer argued that no arm of government holds unchecked powers to arrest or detain citizens outside the bounds of due process, emphasising that every public authority must operate strictly within the framework of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).

Describing the development as unwarranted, he labelled the attempted arrest a misuse of state authority.

According to the statement, although there had been prior indications of a possible arrest, El-Rufai chose to return to Nigeria after receiving medical care and taking time to rest overseas, openly affirming his willingness to cooperate with any lawful investigation.

The lawyer demanded the immediate and unconditional halt of what he called unlawful efforts to detain the former governor, the return of his passport, and a formal apology for the alleged infringement on his rights and dignity.