₦airaland Forum

The former Governor of Kano State, Abdullahi Ganduje, has called for scrutiny of his Kaduna counterpart, Nasir El-Rufai, after the latter linked him to the disappearance of Abubakar Idris, popularly known as Dadiyata.

Mr Ganduje, in a statement signed by former Kano Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Muhammad Garba, described the allegation “as reckless, unfounded and a clear attempt to shift responsibility for an incident that occurred entirely within Kaduna State.”

PREMIUM TIMES reported that Mr El-Rufai claimed that Dadiyata was abducted from his Kaduna residence by police officers dispatched from Kano State, when Mr Ganduje was governor.

For several years, many Nigerians on social media accused Mr El-Rufai, who was Kaduna governor during the abduction, of being behind the incident.

Addressing the allegations on Arise Television on Friday, Mr El-Rufai said Dadiyata was not a critic of his administration, as widely speculated. Instead, he stated that the activist was a vocal critic of Mr Ganduje’s government.

“Three years after he was abducted, a policeman who was posted from Kano to Ekiti State confessed to someone that they were sent from Kano to abduct Dadiyata and that the officer was worried about that. That is all I know,” Mr El-Rufai stated.

Mr El-Rufai maintained that the disappearance is not a Kaduna State issue, despite the incident occurring within its borders. He argued that the state could not have provided specific protection because it was unaware of his friction with the Kano State Government.

Below is the full response by Mr Ganduje through his former commissioner

Former Governor of Kano state, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has firmly rejected allegations by his former Kaduna state counterpart, Nasir El-Rufai, linking him to the disappearance of Abubakar Idris, popularly known as Dadiyata.

In a measured but unequivocal response contained in a statement signed by former Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs in Kano state, Comrade Muhammad Garba, the former APC national chairman described the allegation as reckless, unfounded and a clear attempt to shift responsibility for an incident that occurred entirely within Kaduna State.

He emphasised that Dadiyata lived and operated in Kaduna, where he was widely known for directing his criticisms at the Kaduna state government. According to him, there is no credible record suggesting that the activist’s primary focus was the Kano state government or Dr. Ganduje.

“Everyone in Kaduna knew the nature of the criticism he made and who it was directed at,” he stated, noting that responsibility for security in Kaduna at the time rested with the state government and the relevant federal security agencies operating there.

The statement called for careful scrutiny of El-Rufai’s recent remarks, stressing that such serious allegations must be supported by verifiable evidence rather than political rhetoric. Dragging Ganduje into the matter without proof, Garba said, not only politicizes a painful and unresolved episode but also risks further confusing the public over an already sensitive case.

Contrasting the political climates of both states during the period in question, Garba maintained that Ganduje’s two-term administration in Kano was marked by tolerance for criticism, open media engagement and acceptance of opposition voices.

“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.
The former Commissioner added that there was no record of arrests, intimidation or harassment of journalists or critics in Kano during Ganduje’s tenure.

He further observed that public discourse surrounding Dadiyata’s disappearance has, over the years, centred largely on events within Kaduna state and noted further that former Senator Shehu Sani had openly remarked that many individuals within the state were reluctant to speak publicly about the case, while commentator Reno Omokri previously raised allegations questioning how the matter was handled at the time.

Garba also expressed concern over El-Rufai’s claim that a police officer allegedly confessed to being sent from Kano to abduct Dadiyata.

He questioned why such grave information, if credible, was not formally disclosed to investigative authorities or pursued transparently through appropriate security channels at the time.

“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 noted.

While reiterating sympathy for Dadiyata’s family, Garba stressed that the priority should remain on uncovering the truth through lawful and transparent investigative processes.

“The family deserves closure,” he said. “What they do not deserve is for this tragic matter to become an instrument of political blame-shifting.”

He concluded by urging anyone with credible information regarding the abduction to present it to the appropriate authorities, emphasising that accountability must rest on facts and due process, not speculation.

Comrade Muhamad Garba
Former Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Kano state

An old tweet by Bashir El-Rufai has resurfaced to challenge former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai’s claim that Abubakar Idris, popularly known as Dadiyata was not a critic of his administration.

In an interview on Arise Television on Friday, February 13, 2026, El-Rufai denied any link to Dadiyata’s disappearance, insisting the social media activist was a critic of the Kano State government under former Governor Abdullahi Ganduje, not Kaduna.

He said: “Dadiyata is a critic of the Kano government. He was a fierce critic of the Kano state government. He’s from Kano. He lives in Kaduna and lectures at a university in Katsina State. It was Ganduje that was his problem. I don’t even know him. We only got a report of Dadiyata’s existence after his family reported to the police that he was abducted. That is the only thing I know, but it was not a problem for Kaduna State.”

However, a December 23, 2019, tweet from Bashir El-Rufai (@BashirElRufai) posted about four and a half months after Dadiyata vanished, appeared to mock those campaigning for justice under the hashtag #WhereIsDadiyata.

Bashir wrote: “The same clowns who encouraged him when he was creating false stories and capitalizing on lies that could endanger lives solely for political ends are the same individuals trending hashtags asking #WhereisDadiyata. Dangerous lies in the public space have consequences.”

Putindbutt:
We can't remember any opposition or critics of Ganduje's Administration that were subjected to state's oppression, intimidation and dictatorship as was witnessed in Kaduna under the short devil.

Trying to rope in Ganduje or Ribadu with baseless allegations is only the last kick of a dying horse. The short devil has no public sympathy behind him.

Of all the events tomorrow, the most anticipated is you reporting yourself at the EFCC's office. All eyes will be watching as your notorious past catches up with you.

princeade86:
Sue him if e sure for you.

AMINDA:
Tinubu’s water carriers have already taken over the thread. Dadiyatta disappeared before Tinubu went to Chatham house with Elrufai o. Long before Elrufai took Buhari to supreme.court over naira scarcity and defeated to the benefit of Tinubu. Ribadu is their new darling now but they will throw him under the bus after 2027 if they manage to win. Just like Shettima.

Obaofaba:
El Rufai should be interrogated to produce the police officers who abducted him.

Since he claimed to know one of them.

Shouldn't this be an avenue to nail Ganduje by El Rufai?


Everyone is not stupid.

Don't play politics with people's lives.

Ojuntana:
If I understand you, your motive for opening this thread is to pour venom and political invective on El-rufai and not concern for the missing journalist.
Has politics pollutedd your soul so much that you have no inkling of human empathy left in you?
A family man is missing and your interest in his disappearance is how much mud can stick on your political opposition. This is a new low even for you that I thought there are now more lows to reach
I will remember you in my prayers

AMINDA:
Tinubu’s water carriers have already taken over the thread. Dadiyatta disappeared before Tinubu went to Chatham house with Elrufai o. Long before Elrufai took Buhari to supreme.court over naira scarcity and defeated to the benefit of Tinubu. Ribadu is their new darling now but they will throw him under the bus after 2027 if they manage to win. Just like Shettima.

Putindbutt:
https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/856595-ganduje-reacts-to-el-rufais-comment-linking-him-to-dadiyatas-disappearance.html?tztc=1

AMINDA:
The Nigerian police are under the federal government of the federation. That is the reason why Tinubu is still retaining Egbetokun Long after retirement. Simply ask Tinubu to direct Egbetokun to produce the police officers.

SMerchant:
El rufai is supposed to be a political orphan.
He is a problem in ADC and a problem in APC if he goes there.
...But he fits more in APC because that's a party of toxic and unrepentant criminals.

Obaofaba:
This is human life we are talking about.

People are really wicked.

The guy is obviously killed already.

However, El Rufai seems to know more than many of us since he claimed that one of the police officers who abducted him confessed to someone.

El Rufai should be questioned further.

SisterAnn:
Ganduje surely won't want him questioned futher from his response above. He'd rather die the matter.

freemanq:
2027 election will reveal many dirty secrets buried for years

creativejagaban:
By the evening of 20th February 2027, your contract for ADC would have ended and ADC will no longer exist

The city boy movement will cancel the streets, on that day, with celebration 🎉

Tinubu till 2031.