Hanan Abdul-Wahab Aludiba: Former NAFCO CEO Arrested at Airport as Legal Teams Clash Over Rights and Frozen Accounts

The legal drama surrounding the former Chief Executive Officer of the National Food Buffer Stock Company (NAFCO), Hanan Abdul-Wahab Aludiba, escalated this week following his dramatic arrest at Kotoka International Airport on July 4, 2026. Mr. Aludiba was detained by Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) officials while preparing to board a flight to the United Kingdom for medical treatment. The arrest occurred despite a subsisting court order granting him permission to travel abroad for health reasons. The Deputy Attorney-General, Dr. Justice Srem Sai, justified the detention by alleging that Aludiba had attempted to use false means to withdraw funds from a frozen bank account shortly before his planned departure.

In response to the detention, Mr. Aludiba’s legal team, led by former Attorney-General Godfred Yeboah Dame, has filed a habeas corpus application at the Accra High Court. The application, supported by the former CEO’s wife, Hajia Faiza Seidu Wuni, seeks to compel the state to produce Aludiba and justify his continued detention. Dame has described the allegations of an attempted withdrawal as "comical" and legally baseless, arguing that no valid freezing order currently exists because previous criminal charges against his client were withdrawn. Furthermore, the legal team plans to initiate contempt proceedings against government officials, asserting that the arrest directly violates the High Court's earlier authorization for Aludiba to seek medical care abroad.

The arrest has sparked a sharp political divide and raised concerns over human rights and due process. The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has condemned the move, with Deputy General Secretary Haruna Mohammed labeling it a politically motivated attempt by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration to frustrate a political opponent. While private legal practitioner Martin Kpebu noted that it is technically possible to attempt a withdrawal from a frozen account even if the transaction is destined to fail, Aludiba's lawyers maintain that the state has provided no evidence of such an attempt. They have also decried the BNI’s refusal to grant legal counsel or family members access to the detainee since his arrest.

As the standoff continues, the Accra High Court has scheduled a hearing for the habeas corpus application on July 10, 2026. The outcome of this hearing will be a critical indicator of the legal standards regarding the detention of accused persons and the validity of freezing orders once primary charges are dismissed. For now, Mr. Aludiba remains in custody, while his legal team pushes for an expedited hearing, citing the urgency of his medical condition and the alleged violation of his fundamental human rights.