EXCLUSIVE: DSS Reopens Dadiyata Cold Case — New Leads, Passport Seizure and Political Fallout Shake Nigeria’s Justice Landscape
In a stunning development that has reignited public debate over human rights, political accountability, and Nigeria’s security sector transparency, the Department of State Services (DSS) has reopened the 2019 disappearance case of Abubakar Idris, popularly known as Dadiyata, a Kaduna-based lecturer and vocal critic of government policies. This major shift in the once-dormant investigation now includes scrutiny of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai and his family, casting fresh attention on one of Nigeria’s most contentious unresolved cases of enforced disappearance.
The resurgence of interest in the case after more than six years comes amid wider concerns about human rights protection, political polarisation, and the rule of law in Nigeria — themes that have animated civil society activism, media coverage, and public advocacy since Dadiyata vanished without trace in 2019.
The Background: Who Was Abubakar Idris (Dadiyata)?
On August 1 and 2, 2019, Abubakar Idris — a lecturer in the Department of English and Linguistics at the Federal University, Dutsinma — was abducted from his residence in Barnawa, Kaduna State. According to contemporaneous reports, two unknown gunmen forced Idris into his vehicle shortly after returning home late at night; he has not been seen or heard from since.
Nicknamed Dadiyata, Idris was widely known as a social media commentator and critic of public policy. Although his commentary was politically engaged, there has been longstanding debate over the extent and target of his criticisms. Some say he was a critic of local governance in Kaduna; others assert his commentary focused on broader national issues.
His disappearance quickly became a cause célèbre among human rights advocates, who condemned the lack of transparency and accountability in the ensuing investigations. Amnesty International publicly criticised what it called the federal government’s “deafening silence” over the years following the abduction, and raised concerns that the case represents a dangerous pattern of intimidation and enforced disappearance in Nigeria’s civic space.
Reopening the Case: A Strategic Shift by DSS
For years, the investigation into Dadiyata’s disappearance was widely perceived to have stalled. Families, rights organisations, and investigative journalists have repeatedly called for credible updates — demands largely met with silence or inconsistent responses from authorities.
However, sources familiar with the matter now confirm that the Department of State Services has formally reopened the “cold case,” expanding the scope of inquiry to include newly surfaced leads about potential involvement by key figures connected to the former Kaduna State government.
According to security insiders, these fresh leads emerged from months of discreet inquiries and intelligence gathering, prompting the DSS to reassess unresolved elements of the case and pursue lines of inquiry previously unexamined in depth.
One of the most newsworthy developments is the seizure of former Governor Nasir El-Rufai’s international passport at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja. DSS sources say this move was a lawful precautionary measure designed to ensure that El-Rufai remains available to answer questions from law enforcement agencies and anti-graft bodies — including the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) — rather than attempting to leave the country.
Passport Seizure and Legal Controversy
The dramatic scene at Abuja airport has further fuelled public intrigue and divided commentary on social media. El-Rufai’s media team alleged that security agents attempted to arrest the former governor without a warrant, a claim underscored by his legal counsel’s strong condemnation of the officers’ conduct. According to this account, the passport was taken from one of his aides as El-Rufai declined to accompany security agents in the absence of formal documentation.
However, the DSS officially countered these claims, stating it did not seek to arrest El-Rufai at the airport. Instead, the agency maintained that the passport seizure was carried out in compliance with a request from anti-graft authorities to guarantee his appearance for questioning. In their telling, the action was procedural and lawful — not an attempt to detain or arrest him arbitrarily.
Adding another dimension, some reports suggest the passport was retrieved in response to a request from the Kaduna State House of Assembly, which has been investigating alleged misappropriation of state funds and other governance issues linked to El-Rufai’s administration. This entirety of context illustrates how deeply legal, political, and institutional threads are woven into the Dadiyata investigation.
El-Rufai’s Public Response and Political Implications
In a recent televised interview, El-Rufai addressed the renewed focus on the disappearance case, defending himself against implications of complicity. He referenced an alleged confession by a police officer about being part of a team sent from Kano to abduct Dadiyata — even though the officer’s account has not been submitted to authorities as part of formal evidence.
Notably, political figures from across Nigeria have weighed in on the wider debate. Former Kano State Governor Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, whose name was invoked by El-Rufai, vehemently denied any connection to the disappearance, calling such suggestions unfounded and politically motivated — and urged that investigations focus on verified evidence rather than speculation.
Additionally, political commentators like Shehu Sani have challenged narratives that seek to minimise Dadiyata’s criticism of Kaduna governance, underscoring the lecturer’s history as a vocal critic of state authorities at the time.
Human Rights and Public Trust in Justice
At its core, the renewed probe into Dadiyata’s disappearance underscores broader anxieties about human rights and justice in Nigeria. When Dadiyata first vanished, Amnesty International and other rights organisations lamented not only the unresolved nature of his case, but the chilling effect such disappearances have on national discourse. Advocacy groups have repeatedly framed the incident as emblematic of a deteriorating environment for dissent and freedom of expression.
Six years of silence — without conclusive findings, official closure, or public accountability — had deepened mistrust among citizens over the government’s commitment to protect rights and safeguard citizens from arbitrary violence or disappearance. The renewed attention by security agencies, analysts argue, offers an opportunity to rebuild confidence — but only if investigations proceed transparently, lawfully, and with full respect for due process.
What Happens Next?
With investigators reportedly coordinating activity between the DSS, anti-graft agencies, and legislative committees, the Dadiyata case has transformed from a long-forgotten cold case to a national focal point of justice reform, political accountability, and legal scrutiny. Whether the renewed probe yields concrete revelations remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: the questions about Dadiyata’s fate, and the integrity of Nigeria’s justice architecture, will continue to dominate public conversation.
As authorities continue interviews and evidence gathering, the public will be watching — and demanding transparency. The family of Abubakar Idris, civil society, and media observers alike are urging that the investigation not only solve a six-year-old disappearance, but also send a powerful message that no Nigerian is above the law, and that enforced disappearance has no place in a democratic society.
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