Abuja, Nigeria — Former Kaduna State governor, Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, has been granted temporary release from the custody of Nigeria’s anti-corruption agency, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, to allow him attend funeral rites for his late mother.
The development follows the death of his mother, Hajiya Umma El-Rufai, which reportedly occurred in Cairo, Egypt, on Friday, March 27, 2026. Family sources said the release was approved on compassionate grounds after the bereavement.
Okay News reports that El-Rufai had been in the custody of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) since Tuesday, February 18, 2026, following allegations of financial misconduct and related matters. The anti-corruption body has not publicly detailed the full nature of the allegations.
Confirmation of the release came from his son, Bashir El-Rufai, who shared the development in a post on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.
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.”
The former governor’s detention has drawn political attention in Nigeria, with several public figures and supporters previously calling for due process and transparency in the investigation. His temporary release is expected to allow him participate in burial arrangements before returning to face ongoing inquiries.
As of the time of filing this report, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission had not issued an official statement outlining the conditions attached to the temporary release or the next stage of its investigation.
The development is likely to keep the case in public focus, as authorities determine whether further legal proceedings will follow after the compassionate leave granted to the former governor.
