El-Rufai’s Son Thanks Peter Obi for Checking on Detained Father

Mohammed Bello El-Rufai, son of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, has thanked the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, (NDC), Peter Obi, for regularly checking on his father while he remains in detention.

Bello said Obi’s concern had taught him an important lesson, particularly because he had previously been critical of the former presidential candidate.

Speaking in a video circulating on social media on Tuesday, Bello disclosed that several prominent opposition politicians, including former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, Obi, former Rivers State governor Rotimi Amaechi and former Kano State governor Rabiu Kwankwaso, had reached out to inquire about his father’s condition.

He, however, singled out Obi for special appreciation, saying the former Anambra governor had consistently contacted him to ask about El-Rufai.

“Politicians like Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, Mr Peter Obi, Rotimi Amaechi, Kwankwaso, Rabiu Kwankwaso, and others called me to ask about my dad.

“I would like to thank them, particularly Mr Peter Obi. He always called me to ask about my dad. And for me, at 38, it’s a lesson in life because, in the case of Obi, I used to be critical of him,” he said.

Bello also spoke about how his father was spending his time in detention, saying the former governor had used the period to read, study the Quran and reflect on his experiences.

“And for Malam, he is using the time to finish books, catch up, read the Quran, so it’s also a moment for him in isolation to reflect, plan better, and tone down on things like that,” he added.

Obi had earlier criticised El-Rufai’s continued detention, describing it as “political persecution” and calling for the rule of law to prevail.

El-Rufai was taken into custody by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) on February 18, 2026, after spending time in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The ICPC said at the time that he was being held in connection with ongoing investigations.

The former governor has since faced legal proceedings involving allegations by the ICPC, as well as a separate case brought by the Department of State Services (DSS) over alleged unlawful interception of the telephone communications of National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu.

Bello’s comments came  amid continued political and legal attention surrounding his father’s detention, with opposition figures and members of the El-Rufai family calling for due process in the handling of the cases.