Dadiyata’s Disappearance: Ganduje Denies El-Rufai’s Claims, Calls For Unfettered Investigation

By Suleiman Anyalewechi

Former Governor of Kano State and immediate past National Chairman of the All Progressive Congress, APC,  Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, has vehemently rejected claims by the former Governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, linking him to the abduction and subsequent disappearance of a social critic and activist Abubakar Idris, popular as Dadiyata.

The Source reports that the fiery activist, who was a Lecturer in the Department of English and Linguistics at the Federal University Dutsinma Katsina State, was on August 2 , 2019, reportedly abducted and whisked away by some masked gunmen.

He has since remained missing, with family members, relations and friends unable to account for his whereabouts.

However, following his abduction and disappearance, accusing fingers were pointed to the then Kaduna State Government led by El-Rufai, with  not a few of the view  that Dadiyata may have been targeted for  his persistent and unrelenting criticisms of the State authorities.

But speaking on Arise Television on Friday, February 13, 2026, El-Rufai, while distancing himself and his administration from  Dadiyata’s travails, however, domiciled the blame on the door steps of then Kano State Government led by Dr Ganduje.

According to him, contrary to widespread insinuations he was never a critic of the Kaduna State Government, but that of Kano state Government under Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.

He revealed that soon after the unfortunate incident, a Police Officer who was transferred from Kano to Ekiti state confessed to being one of those detailed to come and abduct Dadiyata in Kaduna.

“Dadiyata’s timeline is still around, go and study it.  He was not a fierce critic of the Kaduna state Government; he was a fierce critic of the Kano state Government.

” He is from Kano. He is a Kwankwasiyya guy; he lives in Kaduna and lectures at a University in Katsina state . Go and review his timeline. It was Ganduje that was his problem”,El-Rufai stated.

However, in a statement on Saturday February 14, 2026, from Mohammed Garba, his spokesperson, Ganduje  described El-Rufai’s allegation as reckless, unfounded ,and a clear attempt to shift responsibility for an incident that occurred entirely within Kaduna State.

According to the former APC National Chairman, Dadiyata lived and operated in Kaduna where he was widely known for directing his criticisms at the El-Rufai-led Kaduna State Government.

“There is no credible record suggesting that the activist’s primary focus was the Kano State Government or Ganduje.

“Everyone in Kaduna knew the nature of the criticism he made, and who it was directed at. Responsibility at the time rested with the Kaduna State Government and the relevant federal security agencies operating there”,Ganduje noted.

The immediate past Governor of Kano State, therefore, called for a careful scrutiny of El-Rufai’s recent remarks, and noted that such serious allegations must be supported by verifiable evidence, rather than political rhetorics.

According to the statement, the tendency to drag Ganduje into  Dadiyata’s disappearance, without proof, is not only  tantamount to politicizing a painful, and unresolved episode, but also an ingenious ploy to further confuse the public on a sensitive case.

Ganduje emphasized that his administration’s examplary trajectories, rooted in manifest tolerance for criticisms, open media engagements, and acceptance of opposition voices, do not support  El-Rufai’s claims.

“Unlike many political leaders who maintained strained relationships with the media, we allowed scrutiny, accommodated critical voices, and even learned from dissenting perspectives”, Ganduje stated.

Ganduje further noted that public discourse surrounding Dadiyata’s disappearance has, over the years, centred largely on events within Kaduna State, noting that former Senator Shehu Sani had openly remarked that many individuals in Kaduna State were reluctant to comment publicly on the case.

The statement similarly questioned why  El-Rufai in whose state the abduction took place could not avail security agencies and other relevant authorities his  claim that a police officer allegedly confessed to being sent from Kano to abduct Dadiyata for further action.

While reiterating sympathy for Dadiyata’s family, Ganduje stressed that what should be prioritized is the uncovering of the truth through lawful and transparent investigative processes behind the fate that befell Dadiyata.