Mother of Ex-Kaduna Gov. Nasir ElRufai Dies

Hajiya Umma ElRufai, the mother of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir ElRufai, died on Friday afternoon, her family announced, marking another loss for the prominent political figure amid his ongoing legal battles.

The death was confirmed by her grandson, Bello ElRufai, a member of Nigeria's House of Representatives, in a statement posted on social media late Friday. "Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi rajiun. From Allah SWT we came and to Him we shall all return," Bello wrote. "I would like to inform the public of the demise of my Grandmother, Hajiya Umma ElRufai who passed away a few hours ago. She is the biological mother of our father, Mallam Nasir ElRufai. We are grateful for the life she lived and may Allah SWT bless her gentle soul. May He bless the soul of the parents we have lost. On behalf of our family, we seek your prayers. Thank you."

Details surrounding the cause of death and her location at the time remain unconfirmed, though family sources described the passing as occurring on Friday afternoon. Hajiya Umma ElRufai, a private figure during her son's long public career, had largely stayed out of the spotlight. Nasir ElRufai served as Kaduna State governor from 2015 to...