SUNTV Global Channel reports that Nigerian academic and columnist Farooq Kperogi has reignited debate over the unresolved disappearance of government critic Abubakar Idris, popularly known as Dadiyata, by raising fresh questions about the alleged roles of former governors Nasir El-Rufai and Abdullahi Ganduje.
Kperogi’s remarks followed Ganduje’s recent rejection of El-Rufai’s televised claims suggesting he may have been connected to Dadiyata’s disappearance. Ganduje described the allegation as baseless and politically motivated.
In his analysis, Kperogi noted that before he went missing in August 2019, Dadiyata was an outspoken social media commentator who frequently criticised several high-profile political figures, including former President Muhammadu Buhari, El-Rufai, and Ganduje.
He also pointed out that Dadiyata was widely known as a supporter of Rabiu Kwankwaso and was closely aligned with the Kwankwasiyya political movement. According to Kperogi, Dadiyata’s political stance placed him firmly within opposition circles at the time, particularly when Kwankwaso and Atiku Abubakar were both in the PDP.
Kperogi disputed El-Rufai’s claim that Dadiyata was not one of his fiercest critics, arguing that public records and past social media activity showed otherwise. He recalled that the missing activist frequently criticised El-Rufai’s leadership style and policies while he was governor of Kaduna State.
The columnist also referenced a controversial 2019 social media post by El-Rufai’s son, which mocked Dadiyata’s disappearance and the online campaign demanding his safe return. While Kperogi said the post did not prove wrongdoing, he described it as circumstantial evidence suggesting awareness of the activist’s criticisms.
He further argued that both El-Rufai and Ganduje may have had political reasons to perceive Dadiyata as a threat, particularly due to his strong support for Kwankwaso and his vocal opposition to key figures in the ruling APC.
Kperogi also cited findings from the U.S. State Department 2019 Human Rights Report, which documented cases of critics allegedly detained during El-Rufai’s tenure. He said he personally verified at least 15 instances involving arrests or prosecutions of journalists, academics, and community leaders.
Dadiyata was reportedly abducted by unidentified persons from his residence in Kaduna in August 2019. His whereabouts remain unknown, and the case continues to spark public concern, advocacy campaigns, and calls for accountability both within Nigeria and internationally.
SUNTV Global Channel will continue to monitor developments in this long-running case as pressure mounts for answers over one of Nigeria’s most troubling unresolved disappearances.
Follow us on Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100087905485848
