Hajiya Umma El-Rufai, the mother of former Kaduna State Governor Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, has died. Family sources confirmed she passed away on Friday afternoon in Kaduna.
The death was announced publicly by her grandson, Bello El-Rufai, via a statement on Facebook. He quoted the Islamic reverential phrase, “Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un,” meaning “Verily we belong to Allah and to Him we shall return.”
Bello El-Rufai identified the deceased as “the biological mother of our father, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai.” He stated the family is “grateful for the life she lived” and prayed for Allah to bless her “gentle soul.” The statement also requested public prayers for the family, noting the loss of other parents.
As of the time of this report, specific details regarding the cause of death and burial arrangements remain unconfirmed. The El-Rufai family is expected to release further information on funeral plans in due course.
Hajiya Umma El-Rufai was a private figure who largely remained out of the public spotlight during her son’s prominent political career, which included serving as Kaduna State governor from 2015 to 2023 and previously as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory. Her passing marks the loss of a matriarch within one of Northern Nigeria’s most well-known political families.
The family has appealed for privacy and prayers as they mourn. Further official updates will follow from the family.
