Reported by Afilawos Magana Sur, investigative Journalist at Sele Media Africa.
Nigeria’s domestic intelligence agency, the Department of State Services (DSS), has reopened investigations into the 2019 disappearance of Abubakar Idris, widely known as Dadiyata, marking a significant development in one of the country’s most persistent unresolved abduction cases.Security sources confirmed that the agency has begun fresh inquiries and is set to invite individuals considered relevant to the investigation, including sons of former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai. The move signals renewed official attention to a case that has drawn sustained national and international scrutiny over the past seven years. The 2019 Abduction Dadiyata a lecturer with Federal University Dutsinma in Katsina State and an outspoken online commentator, was declared missing on August 1, 2019. Witnesses reported that unidentified gunmen abducted him as he drove into his residence in Barnawa, Kaduna State. Since then, his whereabouts have remained unknown. Civil society groups, media organizations, and human rights advocates have repeatedly demanded accountability and transparency from authorities, citing concerns about freedom of expression and the safety of dissenting voices in Nigeria.The case has been widely covered by leading Nigerian and international media outlets, including Premium Times, Daily Trust, TheCable, and the BBC, reflecting its prominence in discussions about enforced disappearances and civic space in the country. El-Rufai’s Public Denial the matter resurfaced prominently on February 14, 2026, when El-Rufai publicly denied any involvement in Dadiyata’s disappearance. In his remarks, he argued that Dadiyata was more critical of political actors in Kano State than of the Kaduna State Government. According to El-Rufai, Dadiyata was aligned with the Kwankwasiyya political movement and directed much of his commentary at the Kano administration under former Governor Abdullahi Ganduje. He maintained that the Kaduna State Government had no prior knowledge of Dadiyata before the abduction was reported to the police.“If anybody is to be asked about the disappearance of Dadiyata, it is the Kano State Government; it has nothing to do with the Kaduna State Government,” El-Rufai said, distancing himself and his administration from the incident. Renewed investigation and public expectations the DSS’s decision to reopen the case comes amid sustained advocacy by activists and renewed public discourse surrounding unresolved cases of abduction and alleged enforced disappearances in Nigeria. While details of the fresh probe remain limited, the reported invitation of El-Rufai’s sons underscores the agency’s stated intent to widen the scope of inquiry. Legal analysts note that reopening high-profile cases can strengthen institutional credibility if conducted transparently and without political interference. However, they also caution that public trust will depend on clear communication, adherence to due process, and measurable progress toward resolving the case. For Dadiyata’s family and supporters, the renewed investigation offers cautious hope after nearly seven years of uncertainty. For Nigeria’s democracy, the outcome may serve as a broader test of the country’s commitment to accountability, rule of law, and the protection of critical voices.As the investigation unfolds, Sele Media Africa will continue to monitor developments and provide fact-checked, independent coverage grounded in verifiable evidence. Sources: Premium Times; Daily Trust; TheCable; BBC News.
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