By Ayomide Otitoju
The remains of Hajiya Umma El-Rufai, mother of former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai, have arrived in Abuja for burial. She passed away on Friday, March 27, in Cairo, Egypt, following a brief illness.
Mohammed El-Rufai, representing Kaduna North Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, confirmed the funeral arrangements in a statement on X. He said the remains arrived safely in Abuja on Sunday morning.
“This is to notify the general public that the remains of our grandmother, Hajiya Umma El-Rufai, have safely landed in Abuja. The Janazah Prayer is by 1 p.m. at the National Mosque, and she will be buried at Gudu Cemetery by the grace of God. May Allah SWT bless her soul and all those who passed away before her,” he wrote.
The death of Hajiya El-Rufai coincides with Nasir El-Rufai’s recent legal challenges. The former governor was in the custody of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) following allegations of financial misconduct. He was arraigned on March 24 before a Federal High Court in Kaduna on a 10-count charge, with the case adjourned until March 31, 2026, for hearing of pending applications, including his bail request.
Nasir El-Rufai was reportedly released from ICPC custody to attend the burial and be with his family.
Several prominent Nigerian figures, including President Bola Tinubu, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, and Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani, have paid tributes to the late Hajiya Umma El-Rufai.
