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  • El-Rufai Freed on Compassionate Grounds as Mother Dies in Cairo

    The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission has released former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai from custody on compassionate grounds, hours after the death of his mother, Hajiya Umma El-Rufai, in Cairo, Egypt, on Friday.

    An aide to the former governor confirmed that the release was approved to allow him to participate in the burial arrangements for his late mother. The ICPC had not issued an official statement on the terms of the temporary release as of the time of this report.

    Son’s reaction

    His son, Bashir El-Rufai, confirmed the development in a post on X, expressing relief while sharply criticising the anti-corruption agency. “My beloved, great legend of a father 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, which is a lame excuse for a pathetic institution. Thank you all for all the support. Our family shall never forget these times. We have overcome, as the El-Rufais,” he wrote.

    Death of Hajiya Umma

    Hajiya Umma El-Rufai, said to be approximately 100 years old, died on Friday after a period of illness in Cairo, Egypt. Her death came barely a week after the passing of her daughter-in-law, Safiya Ali Rufai, making Friday’s loss a second bereavement for the El-Rufai family within days.

    Her death was announced by her grandson and member of the House of Representatives, Bello El-Rufai, who described her as a matriarch whose life was devoted to faith and family, and called on Nigerians to pray for the family. The family finds strength in her long and fulfilled life. Similar condolences came from former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Labour Party’s Peter Obi, and other political figures across party lines.

    El-Rufai’s legal battles

    Friday’s temporary release does not resolve the extensive legal proceedings El-Rufai is currently facing across multiple courts in Nigeria.

    The ICPC has accused El-Rufai of unlawfully receiving approximately ₦579 million in severance allowances on two separate occasions, in September 2020 and January 2023, far above the legally entitled sum of approximately ₦20 million. He was formally arraigned alongside co-defendant Joel Adoga at the Federal High Court in Kaduna on March 24, on charges of alleged conversion and possession of public property, as well as money laundering. He pleaded not guilty.

    The court adjourned ruling on his bail application to March 31, 2026. The ICPC has also filed a separate case against him at the Kaduna State High Court involving another defendant, Amadu Sule.

    In a third legal front, the Department of State Services has filed a three-count charge against El-Rufai at the Federal High Court in Abuja, centred on allegations that he unlawfully intercepted phone communications belonging to the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, in violation of the Cybercrimes Act. His arraignment in that matter is scheduled for April 23, 2026.

    El-Rufai’s counter-suits

    El-Rufai has filed counter-suits challenging the authorities’ actions. In one suit, he is seeking ₦1 billion in damages against the ICPC and other agencies over a February 19 raid on his Abuja residence, which he claims was unlawful, and is asking the court to invalidate the search warrant and restrain the use of any evidence obtained. In a separate action against the DSS, he is seeking ₦2 billion in damages and has asked the court to dismiss the wiretapping charges as unconstitutional harassment.

    How the detention began

    El-Rufai’s current legal saga began on February 16, 2026, when he was initially detained by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over an alleged ₦423 billion misappropriation. He was subsequently transferred to ICPC custody on February 18, where he has remained until today’s temporary release.

    El-Rufai is expected to return to ICPC custody following the completion of his mother’s burial rites, with the Federal High Court in Kaduna due to rule on his substantive bail application on March 31. RNN.NG will continue to follow all developments in his case.

  • Rev. Dachomo Reveals He Robbed a Bank in Jos in 1980, Credits Jesus Saves

    Reverend Ezekiel Dachomo, the Plateau State cleric known for his vocal activism on the killing of Christians in Nigeria’s Middle Belt, has revealed that he was a member of an armed robbery gang that raided a bank in Jos, Plateau State, in 1980.

    The disclosure, made in an interview with a foreign media outlet and shared online on Wednesday, has since gone viral, generating widespread reactions across Nigerian social media.

    What Dachomo said

    Dachomo confirmed that his gang successfully carried out the bank robbery in Jos, making away with a substantial sum of money, and that the operation was led by a close associate at the time.

    He described a spiritual encounter that he said marked the turning point in his life, recounting that Jesus appeared in his room while he was asleep, accompanied by seven angels, and engaged in a supernatural battle with what he described as 14 demons operating in his life. According to Dachomo, he pretended to be dead among fallen figures but was eventually discovered. “When they were coming, booting other corpses, then I had to stand up and begin to beg,” he said.

    He said he turned away from crime following that encounter, crediting the saving power of Jesus for his transformation.

    Rival account disputes the story

    The account has not gone unchallenged. A cleric identified as Baban Chinedu alleged that Dachomo’s version of events was fabricated, claiming that during the robbery, Dachomo hid among corpses and was rescued by a gang member named Emmanuel, not by divine intervention. The critic alleged that Dachomo was shot and still bears the scar from that wound, and accused him of transitioning from a “street-level bandit” to a “spiritual bandit” while inciting religious conflict.  Dachomo has not publicly responded to this counter-claim.

    Public reaction

    Nigerians on social media responded with a mix of amusement, scepticism, and support. One user suggested the story was typical of young men who grew up without older male role models to keep them in check. Others praised the cleric for his candour.

    Who is Dachomo

    Reverend Dachomo is a senior cleric in the Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN), serving as the regional chairman for the Barkin Ladi Local Government Area in Plateau State. He gained national and international attention after videos of him conducting mass burials for Christians killed in communal attacks went viral, drawing reactions from public figures, including US President Donald Trump, who placed Nigeria on a list of Countries of Particular Concern.

    In an interview with British journalist Piers Morgan in November 2025, Dachomo said he had presided over more than 70 mass burials, sometimes burying over 500 people in a single night, and accused the Nigerian government of downplaying the scale of the violence.

    The Nigerian Army has previously condemned one of his viral videos, accusing him of spreading false and inflammatory claims about a planned terrorist attack in Plateau State and warning that his statements risked igniting ethnic and religious violence.  Dachomo denied the characterisation and said he was speaking the truth about threats facing Christian communities.

    The viral video continues to trend on Nigerian social media. RNN.NG will update this story if Dachomo or any relevant authorities respond to the competing accounts surrounding his past.