Dadiyata Disappearance Sparks Fresh Political War Between Ganduje, El-Rufai
By Ahmad Tijjani Abdul
KANO – The long-running mystery surrounding the disappearance of social media activist Abubakar Idris, popularly known as Dadiyata, has ignited a fresh political confrontation between former Kano State Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje and his Kaduna counterpart, Nasir El-Rufai.
The latest exchange followed remarks attributed to El-Rufai linking Dr. Ganduje to the activist’s disappearance, an allegation the former Kano governor has firmly denied.
In a statement signed by former Kano Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Comrade Muhammad Garba, Ganduje described the claim as “reckless, unfounded and a clear attempt to shift responsibility for an incident that occurred entirely within Kaduna State.”
Garba maintained that Dadiyata lived and operated in Kaduna, where he was widely known for his criticism of the state government at the time.
“Everyone in Kaduna knew the nature of the criticism he made and who it was directed at,” he said, stressing that responsibility for security within the state rested with the Kaduna government and federal security agencies operating there.
The statement called for careful scrutiny of El-Rufai’s remarks, arguing that such grave allegations must be supported by verifiable evidence.
“Dragging Dr. Ganduje into the matter without proof not only politicizes a painful and unresolved episode, but also risks further confusing the public over an already sensitive case,” Garba stated.
Ganduje’s camp also questioned El-Rufai’s claim that a police officer allegedly confessed to being sent from Kano to abduct Dadiyata. Garba asked why such information, if credible, was not formally disclosed to investigative authorities or transparently pursued through appropriate security channels.
“It is difficult to reconcile a claim of having no prior knowledge of the individual with simultaneously making detailed assertions about who was responsible,” he said.
In defending Ganduje’s record, Garba contrasted what he described as Kano’s political climate during Ganduje’s two terms with that of Kaduna at the time. He asserted that the Kano administration tolerated criticism and maintained open engagement with the media.
“Unlike many political leaders who maintained strained relationships with the media, we allowed scrutiny, accommodated critical voices and even learned from dissenting perspectives,” he said, adding that there was no record of arrests or harassment of journalists in Kano during that period.
Garba further noted that public discourse on Dadiyata’s disappearance has largely centered on developments within Kaduna State.
He referenced past comments by former Senator Shehu Sani, who had observed that many individuals were reluctant to speak publicly about the case, as well as remarks by commentator Reno Omokri, who had questioned how the matter was handled at the time.
While reiterating sympathy for Dadiyata’s family, Ganduje’s camp insisted that the focus should remain on uncovering the truth through lawful and transparent investigations rather than political blame-shifting.
“The family deserves closure,” Garba said. “What they do not deserve is for this tragic matter to become an instrument of political blame-shifting.”