•Nuhu Ribadu
The National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, has dismissed reports circulating online that his mother died yesterday, saying the publication was false and misleading and had caused confusion among friends,
associates and members of the public.
Ribadu issued the clarification in a statement posted on his verified X handle today, after receiving what he described as numerous calls and messages from sympathisers following the report.
The reports had announced the purported death of Mamma Ribadu at the age of 86, describing her as a respected matriarch and the mother of both the NSA and Sani Ribadu, the Emir of Fufore in Adamawa State.
“I have been inundated with calls and messages from friends and associates following an inaccurate online publication claiming that my mother passed away on Monday, 19 January 2026,” Ribadu said.
While appreciating those who reached out to commiserate with him, Ribadu stressed that the report was incorrect, explaining that his mother had died 28 years ago.
“The publication is false and misleading. My mother of blessed memory passed away 28 years ago and therefore could not have died on Monday,” he stated.
He clarified that the family bereavement involved a different relative, identifying the deceased as Hajja Mamma Sulaiman Ribadu, the wife of his late uncle.
“The person who passed on Monday is Hajja Mamma Sulaiman Ribadu, the wife of my late uncle. May Allah SWT forgive her shortcomings, bless her soul, and grant her Aljannat Firdaus,” he said.
Ribadu expressed gratitude to those who stood by the family during the loss and prayed for divine reward for their support.
The clarification followed earlier reports which had announced the death of Hajiya Aisha Mamma, described as the mother of the National Security Adviser, at the age of 86. Those reports said she passed away yesterday morning and drew tributes from political leaders, traditional rulers and members of the public, who referred to her as a respected matriarch with deep faith, reports The Guardian.
The reports also stated that beyond the NSA, the late Hajiya Aisha was the mother of Sani Ribadu, the Emir of Fufore in Adamawa State, and described her as a central figure in both public service and traditional leadership circles in the state.
According to those accounts, one of the earliest high-profile visitors to the Ribadu family was Aishatu Dahiru Ahmed, who reportedly paid a condolence visit shortly after news of the death broke.
Senator Binani was quoted as describing the deceased as “a mother to all,” saying her counsel and prayers extended beyond her immediate family to the wider community.
“We have lost a pillar of strength,” Binani was reported to have said, adding that “Her life reflected patience, humility and devotion. While we mourn with the Emir and the NSA, we are comforted by the exemplary life she lived and the leaders she raised for Adamawa State and Nigeria.”
The reports further said funeral rites were conducted in line with Islamic traditions, attracting a large turnout of mourners, including senior government officials, security chiefs and traditional rulers from across the North-East, who converged to honour the late matriarch and express solidarity with the Ribadu family.
Ribadu’s statement, however, made clear that the reports had conflated identities and relationships within the family, underscoring the spread of inaccurate information online and the distress it caused.
He reaffirmed that while the family is mourning the loss of Hajja Mamma Sulaiman Ribadu, reports of the death of his mother were untrue.
