President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, and National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu have joined a chorus of prominent Nigerians in mourning Hajiya Umma El-Rufai. The late matriarch was the mother of former Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, who was recently released from ICPC custody on compassionate grounds to attend her burial.
Nasir El-Rufai has been temporarily freed from ICPC detention following the death of his mother, Hajiya Umma, in Cairo. The anti-graft agency approved his release on Friday to allow the former governor to participate in her burial rites after she succumbed to a brief illness in Cairo, Egypt.
The former governor’s son, Bashir El-Rufai, confirmed the release late Friday via a post on X (formerly Twitter). Expressing his gratitude, he wrote: “Alhamdulillah. My beloved father, @elrufai, is being released… Thank you all for your support. Our family shall never forget these times. We have overcome, as the El-Rufais always do.”
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This loss marks an exceptionally difficult period for the El-Rufai family, coming just one week after the passing of Hajiya Safiya Ali Rufai. She was the sister-in-law of the former governor and the widow of his late elder brother, Air Vice Marshal Ali Rufai.
Hon. Bello El-Rufai officially announced the death of his grandmother, Hajiya Umma, via his Facebook page late Friday. His post served as both a formal notification and a personal reflection, inviting the public to join the family in prayer.
“Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un… I announce the passing of my grandmother, Hajiya Umma El-Rufai. May Allah forgive her shortcomings and grant her Aljannah Firdaus,” he wrote.
President Tinubu has honored the memory of Hajiya Umma El-Rufai, describing the family matriarch as a woman of substance. Through his spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, the President noted that her fulfilled life is best reflected in the significant national contributions of the children she raised.
“Nasir, please accept my heartfelt condolences on the passing of your beloved mother… As someone who has experienced a similar loss, I share in your grief,” Tinubu said.
The President emphasized that the departure of a mother is an “irreplaceable loss,” offering prayers that the family finds solace in her enduring legacy and the profound values she instilled in them.
“As firm believers in Allah, we are convinced she has returned to her Creator after fulfilling her purpose on earth,” the President added.
El-Rufai’s detention began on February 19, 2026, following his transfer from the EFCC, where he had undergone 48 hours of questioning. He remained in ICPC custody until his compassionate release this Friday following his mother’s passing.
The ICPC has arraigned El-Rufai on a 10-count charge involving the alleged conversion of public property and money laundering.
While his bail application before the Federal High Court in Kaduna was adjourned until March 31, the anti-graft agency granted him an early release on compassionate grounds following his mother’s death in Cairo. The former governor continues to maintain his innocence, denying all allegations leveled against him.
