Former Kano State governor, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso has backed fresh police investigation into the mysterious disappearance of social media activist and government critic, Abubakar Idris Dadiyata, nearly seven years after he vanished from his Kaduna residence.
Kwankwaso spoke amid renewed controversy surrounding the unresolved case following allegations by a former aide to ex-Zamfara State governor, Bello Matawalle, who reportedly claimed that some police officers boasted about having knowledge of Dadiyata’s disappearance.
Reacting in a statement posted on his official X account, Kwankwaso said he was encouraged by the decision of the Inspector General of Police, Olatunji Disu, to order a comprehensive investigation into the matter.
Kwankwaso said he and his associates had continued to pray and demand justice since Dadiyata was abducted in 2019.
“I have been made aware of the recent testimony by a former aide to a former state governor, in which he alleged that police officers claimed responsibility for the disappearance of Abubakar Idris Dadiyata in Kaduna,” Kwankwaso said.
The former governor noted that the latest move by the police leadership offered fresh hope that the truth behind the controversial disappearance could finally emerge.
“It is therefore reassuring that the Inspector General of Police, Olatunji Disu, has ordered a comprehensive investigation into this matter. I commend the Inspector General for this decisive and long overdue action,” Kwankwaso added.
Dadiyata, a lecturer at the Federal University Dutsin-Ma in Katsina State and a vocal social media commentator, was abducted by unidentified gunmen on August 2, 2019, shortly after arriving at his residence in Barnawa, Kaduna State. Since then, neither his whereabouts nor those responsible for his disappearance have been officially established.
His disappearance sparked outrage across Nigeria, with civil society groups, activists and political supporters repeatedly demanding an independent investigation into the case.
The controversy deepened recently after Kano-based lawyer Abba Hikima Fagge reportedly petitioned the police over allegations involving two senior police officers.
The petition followed claims by former political aide Muhammad Musa Kamarawa, who alleged that the officers threatened him and claimed involvement in Dadiyata’s disappearance while he was in detention in Kaduna.
Kwankwaso urged police authorities to place the officers named in the allegations under close monitoring to prevent interference with the investigation.
He also called on the government to compensate Dadiyata and his family if investigations confirm he is still alive and eventually reunited with them.
“I urge the police authorities to place the named individuals under close surveillance to prevent any interference with the process,” Kwankwaso stated.
He added that Dadiyata’s family deserved justice and support after years of uncertainty and emotional trauma.
Kwankwaso also praised Nigerians and human rights advocates for sustaining public pressure on authorities over the years.
“I equally commend the general public for their sustained advocacy and resilience in keeping this case alive, as well as Barrister Abba Hikima Fagge for his pivotal role in this latest development,” he noted.
“We remain hopeful that this investigation will finally deliver truth and justice,” Kwankwaso said.
