Former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufa’i has denied allegations linking his administration to the 2019 abduction of lecturer and commentator Abubakar Idris, also known as Dadiyata.

A former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufa’i, has denied claims connecting his administration to the abduction of a lecturer and social media commentator, Abubakar Idris, popularly known as Dadiyata. Dadiyata, a lecturer in the Department of English and Linguistics at Federal University Dutsinma, was abducted from his Kaduna home on August 2, 2019, by masked men who took him away in his own car shortly after he returned from work.

Since the incident, there has been no trace of the academic, no conclusive findings from any investigation, and no formal explanation from the authorities regarding his whereabouts. The case has continued to generate public concern and calls for accountability, particularly from human rights groups and civil society organisations.

At a press briefing in Kaduna on Saturday, August 2, 2025, Country Director of Amnesty International Nigeria, Isa Sanusi, alleged that the circumstances surrounding the abduction suggested a targeted operation, raising further questions about the unresolved case.

READ THE FULL STORY IN DAILY TRUST