El-Rufai Fasted and Studied Quran During Detention

Nasir El-Rufai, the former governor of Kaduna State, engaged in spiritual and intellectual activities, including fasting and studying the Quran, while in detention, as revealed by his associate Bashir Garba Sufyan. El-Rufai was taken into custody on February 19, 2026, by the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) due to allegations of corruption, specifically involving the conversion of public property and money laundering.

He faced 10 counts of charges and pleaded not guilty in the Federal High Court in Kaduna, with a bail application hearing scheduled for March 31. However, he was released shortly after his detention, which coincided with the illness of his mother, Hajiya Umma El-Rufai, in Cairo, Egypt.

Prominent Nigerians, including President Bola Tinubu and Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani, expressed their condolences regarding the death of El-Rufai's mother.