At 37, Hon. Bello El‑Rufai—son of the former Kaduna State Governor—has become a figure young Nigerians are eager to see more of.

El-Rufai’s son has sparked a heated nationwide debate after boldly declaring that banditry in Northern Nigeria is a collective failure of Northern leaders. In this video, we break down his statement, the political tension it has triggered, reactions from Northern elites, and what this means for Nigeria’s security crisis. Join the conversation and share your thoughts!

 - Olanre Francis.

WHO IS Mohammed Bello El‑Rufai?

Hon. Mohammed Bello El‑Rufai is a Nigerian politician and current Member of the House of Representatives for Kaduna North Federal Constituency in the 10th National Assembly. He is the son of former Kaduna State governor Nasir El‑Rufai and serves as Chairman of the House Committee on Banking Regulations.

Early Life and Education

Mohammed Bello El‑Rufai was born on 11 January 1988 in Kaduna, Nigeria. He earned a BSc in Political Science and International Relations, with a minor in Religious Studies, from Wheaton College, Massachusetts. In 2015, he obtained an MSc in Public Relations and Corporate Communications from Georgetown University.

Career

Bello began his professional career as a manager at Huawei Nigeria. During his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in 2015, he became politically active, engaging with the Good Governance Group (3G) and co‑founding the Rescue Kaduna Group (RKG), a political action committee formed ahead of the 2015 general elections.

That same year, he was appointed Director of Youth Mobilization for the Buhari Campaign Organization (BCO). He later transitioned from the private sector to public service, working as Senior Legislative Aide and Chief of Staff to Senator Uba Sani (now Governor of Kaduna State) from 2019 to 2022.

Beyond politics, Bello sits on the board of the Yasmin El‑Rufai Foundation (YELF) and is also behind the Hamza El‑Rufai Foundation (HELF).

Political Career

A member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bello El‑Rufai contested and won the House of Representatives seat for Kaduna North Federal Constituency in February 2023, securing 51,052 votes. In the 10th Assembly, he was appointed Chairman of the House Committee on Banking Regulations.

He has been outspoken on issues of security and justice, recently criticizing disparities in Nigeria’s judicial system—particularly the lighter sentences given to convicted terrorists compared to the life sentence handed to IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu.

Bello El‑Rufai has also advocated for state policing, youth development, and the involvement of traditional leaders as key solutions to Nigeria’s insecurity.

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