Thousands of Muslim faithful, including top government officials and political figures, gathered on Sunday at the Abuja National Mosque for the funeral prayer of Umma El-Rufai, mother of former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai.
Hajiya Umma died in Cairo, Egypt, on Friday.
Her son, Mr El-Rufai, was released from the custody of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, to attend the funeral rites.
Among dignitaries present were Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani; the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu; and former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar.
Others included Niger State Governor, Umar Bago; Gombe State Governor, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya; and former Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.
Traditional rulers and prominent figures also attended, among them the Emir of Zazzau, Ahmed Nuhu Bamalli; the Etsu Nupe, Yahaya Abubakar; and former Central Bank of Nigeria governor, Muhammadu Sanusi II.
President Bola Tinubu led a wave of condolences to the family, describing the loss of a mother as “a pain unlike any other,” and noting that he understands the depth of such grief.
He prayed that the memories and values of the deceased would bring comfort to her family.
Governor Sani, in his tribute, described the late matriarch as a woman of rare grace, moral clarity and quiet strength, whose life was marked by compassion, humility and service to others.
He said, “In this hour of grief, I stand in solidarity with the El-Rufai family, praying that Almighty Allah will forgive her shortcomings, accept her good deeds and grant her Aljannatul Firdausi.”
The funeral drew a large crowd of mourners, including senior government officials, business leaders and associates of the family, reflecting the wide influence and respect commanded by the deceased.