Fresh political and legal troubles appear to be closing in on former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, as multiple security agencies intensify investigations into alleged financial infractions and the long-running mystery surrounding the 2019 disappearance of Abubakar Idris, popularly known as Dadiyata.
Security sources confirmed to Punch Newspaper that the Department of State Services (DSS) has reopened its investigation into Dadiyata’s abduction and is set to invite individuals considered relevant to the case for questioning. The development comes nearly seven years after the outspoken academic and social media commentator was declared missing.
Dadiyata, a lecturer in the Department of English and Linguistics at Federal University Dutsinma, was abducted on the night of August 1, 2019, in Barnawa, Kaduna. According to accounts from his family, he had just driven into his compound when armed men intercepted him as he stepped out of his vehicle. He was reportedly whisked away in the presence of his wife, who watched helplessly from a window.
Despite public outcry, repeated protests and social media campaigns under the hashtag #WhereisDadiyata, his whereabouts remain unknown.
Passport seizure, fresh DSS interest
A senior security source disclosed that El-Rufai’s international passport was recently seized at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport to prevent him from travelling abroad while investigations are ongoing.
According to the source, the DSS is not only revisiting Dadiyata’s disappearance but also reviewing other unresolved cases of missing persons during the period.
“El-Rufai is fully aware that the Service is investigating him and his two sons in connection with the 2019 kidnapping,” the source alleged, adding that invitations for questioning may soon be issued.
There has been no official statement from the DSS publicly linking the former governor to the abduction. However, the renewed probe has revived public interest in the case and reopened political exchanges between key actors.
Wife breaks silence in emotional interview
The resurgence of the case gained traction after a video interview conducted by former presidential aide and political commentator, Reno Omokri, with Dadiyata’s wife, Kadijah.
In the video shared on Omokri’s verified X handle, Kadijah spoke emotionally about the trauma of the past seven years and the uncertainty that has defined her family’s life since her husband’s disappearance.
When asked what message she had after years without closure, especially in light of recent public comments by El-Rufai, she said quietly: “We pray that one day, he will come back.”
Appealing directly to Nigerians, she added: “They should please do whatever they can to help us know his whereabouts, if he’s alive or not.”
Kadijah recounted the night of the abduction, explaining that her husband was taken shortly after arriving home. She said she witnessed the incident from the window as unknown gunmen seized him. The memory, she suggested, remains vivid and painful.
Omokri, who described the visit as a humanitarian gesture, pledged to pursue justice for the family. He appealed to Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, to intervene and support the family’s welfare.
He called for possible relocation assistance, educational support for the children and employment opportunities for Kadijah, stating that Nigeria owes the family a duty of care.
Omokri also asked her about a controversial 2019 social media post that appeared to mock Dadiyata’s disappearance. Kadijah said she only became aware of the comment after someone showed it to her, as she did not own a phone at the time.
The post, reportedly attributed to a son of a former Kaduna governor, suggested that those who had supported Dadiyata’s activism were now demanding to know his whereabouts. “Dangerous lies in the public space have consequences,” it had read.
“I felt bad about it,” Kadijah said in the interview. “I can’t even explain.”
Political blame game
The case resurfaced publicly after El-Rufai denied any involvement and argued that Dadiyata was primarily a critic of the Kano State government rather than Kaduna.
According to him, the missing lecturer was aligned with the Kwankwasiyya political movement and was more critical of former Kano State governor, Abdullahi Ganduje.
“Dadiyata was not a fierce critic of the Kaduna State government. He was a fierce critic of the Kano State government,” El-Rufai said, insisting that he was unaware of Dadiyata until the family reported the abduction to the police.
He maintained that if questions were to be asked about the disappearance, they should be directed at the Kano State government.
Ganduje, however, dismissed the claim as “reckless and unfounded,” arguing that the abduction occurred in Kaduna and therefore fell within the jurisdiction of Kaduna authorities. He stated that Dadiyata was widely known in Kaduna for his criticisms.
Observers note that Dadiyata was an active and outspoken commentator on social media, frequently criticising political figures across party lines, including both El-Rufai and Ganduje.
ICPC detention after EFCC release
Beyond the revived disappearance probe, El-Rufai is also facing scrutiny from anti-corruption agencies.
He was initially detained on Monday by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and released late Wednesday. However, he was immediately taken into custody by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), where he has remained.
An ICPC official confirmed that the former governor was still in custody but declined to disclose the specific offence under investigation.
There are unverified reports suggesting the probe may be linked to the controversial N11.1 billion Kaduna light rail joint venture project. Other sources indicate that the EFCC is examining alleged financial mismanagement during his tenure, including claims of large-scale borrowing and contract irregularities.
El-Rufai’s media aide disclosed that ICPC operatives searched his Aso Drive residence in Abuja. His lawyer, Ubong Akpan, condemned the action as unlawful and a violation of due process.