Bashir El-Rufai briefly announced the release of his father, Nasir El-Rufai, from detention by the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC), but later deleted the post.
Earlier on Friday, the El-Rufai family had confirmed the passing of Hajiya Umma, the former governor’s mother, who reportedly died in Egypt where she had been receiving medical treatment.
Hours after the announcement, Bashir took to his X account to share news of his father’s release from custody.
“Alhamdulillah. My beloved great legend of a father (@elrufai) is being released from his unlawful & illegal detention at the hands of one of the most corrupt agencies in the Federal Republic of Nigeria that is a lame excuse of a pathetic institution.
“Thank you all for all the support. Our family shall never forget these times. We have overcome, as the El-Rufai’s always do,” he wrote in the now-deleted post.
The message, posted at 9:56pm, garnered over 33,000 views before it was taken down.
On Tuesday, El-Rufai was arraigned alongside Joel Adoga at a federal high court in Kaduna over allegations of money laundering, fraud, and abuse of office. Both defendants pleaded not guilty.
The court adjourned the bail hearing to March 31.
El-Rufai has remained in ICPC custody since February 19, following his earlier release by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). He had returned to Nigeria from Egypt on February 12.