Former lawmaker who represented Kaduna Central Senatorial District in the 8th National Assembly, Shehu Sani, has dismissed allegations by former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, linking the immediate past National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Chairman of the Board of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, to the abduction of activist Abubakar Idris, popularly known as Dadiyata.
El-Rufai had, during an interview on Arise News Prime Time on Friday, alleged that Ganduje was responsible for the disappearance of Dadiyata, who has remained missing since 2019. He maintained that Kaduna State authorities were not involved in the incident.
According to him, “He (Dadiyata) is a critic of the Kano government. It was Ganduje that was his problem. Go and check his timeline. I don’t even know him.”
He further stated that the Kaduna State Government only became aware of the activist following a report by his family.
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“We only got a report of Dadiyata’s existence after his family reported to the police that he was abducted,” he added.
El-Rufai also cited an alleged confession by a police officer, claiming that operatives from Kano were involved in the abduction.
However, reacting via his verified X account on Friday, Sani refuted the claims, insisting that Dadiyata was widely known as a critic of the Kaduna State Government, not Kano State or Ganduje.
“Dadiyata was an outspoken critic of the Kaduna State Government and governor and NOT of Kano State or Ganduje. He is from Kaduna and lived in Kaduna with his family.
Everyone in Kaduna knows the critical views of that young man,” Sani stated.
He further noted that the activist was abducted from his residence in the Barnawa area of Kaduna on August 1, 2019, adding that his whereabouts remain unknown.
Sani also raised concerns over the handling of the case, stating that there was no official statement from the Kaduna State Government at the time, nor any formal visit to the family.
“Everyone in Kaduna was afraid to talk about Dadiyata, including the police and the State House of Assembly. The family of Dadiyata are still around for anyone who wants to hear the truth directly from them,” he added.
Meanwhile, human rights organisation, Amnesty International, has previously called for a thorough investigation into the activist’s disappearance.
As of the time of filing this report, no official findings have been made public regarding the circumstances surrounding Dadiyata’s abduction, as calls for clarity and accountability continue to grow.