Is El-Rufai’s Wife Hadiza Dead? Former Kaduna First Lady Speaks
- Isma Hadiza, the wife of Mallam Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, has debunked rumours of her death on social media
- Hadiza's response follows false claims on the social networking site Facebook regarding her family's state of mourning
- Safiya Ali Rufai, former Governor El-Rufai's sister-in-law, passed away on Eid al-Fitr 2026, Friday, March 20
Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over 9 years of experience covering politics, elections, public affairs and governance in Nigeria and Africa.
Kaduna, Kaduna State - Hadiza El-Rufai, wife of Nasir El-Rufai, has refuted an online claim that she had died.
In a post on her verified X (formerly Twitter) page on Monday afternoon, March 23, Hadiza prayed to God for a long life.
Source: Twitter
Hadiza El-Rufai denies death rumour
The rumour stemmed from a recent Facebook post by Kiche TV Africa, which claimed that Mallam El-Rufai was mourning the death of Safiya Ali Rufai. The blog included a picture of Hadiza with the former Kaduna governor, alleging that Safiya passed away on Friday, March 20, 2026.
Reacting, Hadiza, the mother of Bello El-Rufai, a member of the House of Representatives, said via X:
"It’s not me o… Me? I’ll never die. God will make an exception in my case."
Hadiza Isma El-Rufai profile
Hadiza is a Nigerian writer and wife to the former governor of Kaduna State, Mallam El-Rufai. She was the founder of Yasmin El-Rufai Foundation (YELF), a non-profit literary organisation.
She married Nasir El-Rufai in 1985, whom she had met in 1976 at the School of Basic Studies, Ahmadu Bello University. He later became Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and Governor of Kaduna State. The couple has several children.
Legit.ng recalls that in January 2026, via her verified X page, the 65-year-old stated that she never intended to be in a polygamous marriage.
Her comments came in response to a trending social media debate about polygamy, sparked by a lawyer’s announcement of taking a second wife.
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In a detailed X post, Hadiza said she was raised in a monogamous home, while her husband came from a polygamous family.
Per The Cable, the sexagenarian explained that when they married, she expected a monogamous union, though they never explicitly discussed it.
The former Kaduna first lady explained that the shift to polygamy was her husband’s decision. She said, however, that she chose to stay in the marriage. She said they married under Islamic law, which allows a woman to leave if she returns the dowry.
El-Rufai's sister-in-law dies
Meanwhile, death claimed the life of former Governor El-Rufai's sister-in-law, Safiya Ali Rufai, on Eid al-Fitr day 2026.
Late Safiya was the wife of ex-Governor El-Rufai ‘s brother, Air Vice Marshall Ali Rufai, who died some years ago.
According to sources, Mallam El-Rufai is said to be mourning the death of his sister-in-law, Safiya Ali Rufai, who passed away after a brief illness, Guardian noted.
Source: Twitter
She died on Friday, March 20, 2026, on the day of the Eid celebration.
Her death was announced by Bello El-Rufai.
Family members described the late Safiya as a disciplined and devoted woman who played an important role in raising many within the family.
Read more on El-Rufai:
- "Let me not say this": APC reacts to El-Rufai’s absence from NEC meeting in Abuja
- Northern group carpets El-Rufai over attacks on Tinubu, Ribadu: “You have no moral right”
2027 election: Source shares El-Rufai's plan
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that a source in the opposition privy to the ongoing developments confirmed that El-Rufai was not contesting any elective position in the 2027 election.
The source said El-Rufai was only focused on mobilising against President Tinubu's second-term agenda.
One prominent associate of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who contested the 2023 presidential election but lost to Tinubu, and now relating with El-Rufai, divulged that what the ex-Kaduna governor is interested in is sending Tinubu and his people back to Lagos.
Source: Legit.ng
