Former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai has been granted temporary bail from the custody of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
The development is to enable him to attend the funeral rites of his mother, Umma El-Rufai, who died in Cairo, Egypt, on Friday.
His son Bashir El-Rufai announced the release in a post on his X handle.
He wrote: “My beloved great legend of a father (@elrufai) is being released from his unlawful and illegal detention at the hands of one of the most corrupt agencies in the Federal Republic of Nigeria, that is a lame excuse of a pathetic institution. Thank you all for all the support. Our family shall never forget these times. We have overcome, as the El-Rufais.”
As of this report, the ICPC has yet to issue an official statement regarding the terms of Mr El-Rufai’s temporary release or the next steps in its investigation.
Bello El-Rufai, a member of the House of Representatives, had earlier on Friday confirmed his grandmother’s death.
“Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un. From Allah SWT we came, and to Him we shall all return. I would like to inform the public of the demise of my grandmother, Hajiya Umma El-Rufai, who passed away a few hours ago. She is the biological mother of our father, Nasir El-Rufai. We are grateful for the life she lived and may Allah SWT bless her gentle soul. May He bless the souls of the parents we have lost. On behalf of our family, we seek your prayers,” he wrote.
The former governor is facing legal battles involving allegations of financial misconduct, money laundering and national security breaches across multiple courts in Nigeria.
National security adviser Nuhu Ribadu, whom El-Rufai had claimed was behind his ordeal, mourned the death of Mrs El-Rufai.
“I am deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Hajiya Umma El-Rufai, the matriarch of the El-Rufai family. I have fond memories of shared moments with her and her motherly care. At a time like this, words can offer little comfort for such a profound loss. My heartfelt condolences to Mallam Nasir El-Rufai and the entire family. May Almighty Allah forgive her shortcomings, grant her eternal rest in Aljannah Firdaus, and give the family the strength to bear this loss,” Mr Ribadu wrote on X.
El-Rufai has been in ICPC custody since February 18.
