Ganduje Calls for Investigation into El-Rufai Over Missing Activist
Former Kano State Governor Abdullahi Ganduje has formally demanded a thorough investigation into his Kaduna counterpart, Nasir El-Rufai, regarding allegations linking him to the disappearance of prominent activist Abubakar Idris, widely known as Dadiyata. The call comes after El-Rufai publicly accused Ganduje of orchestrating the activist's abduction during his tenure as Kano governor.
El-Rufai's Controversial Allegations
In a recent television interview, former Kaduna Governor Nasir El-Rufai made explosive claims about Dadiyata's 2023 disappearance. El-Rufai asserted that the activist was abducted from his Kaduna residence by police officers dispatched from Kano State during Ganduje's administration. "Three years after he was abducted, a policeman who was posted from Kano to Ekiti State confessed that they were sent from Kano to abduct Dadiyata," El-Rufai stated during his appearance on Arise Television.
The former governor further contended that Dadiyata was primarily critical of Ganduje's government rather than his own administration, contradicting widespread public perception about the activist's focus. These allegations have reignited long-standing suspicions among Nigerians who have previously accused El-Rufai of involvement in the activist's disappearance during his own governorship of Kaduna State.
Ganduje's Forceful Rebuttal
Through a statement issued by former Kano Commissioner for Information Muhammad Garba, Ganduje vehemently denied El-Rufai's accusations, describing them as "reckless, unfounded and a clear attempt to shift responsibility for an incident that occurred entirely within Kaduna State." The former APC national chairman emphasized that the alleged abduction took place in Kaduna under El-Rufai's jurisdiction and demanded immediate investigation into the former governor's claims and potential involvement.
Ganduje's response highlights the escalating political tensions between the two former governors, both prominent figures within northern Nigerian politics. The exchange represents a significant development in the long-unresolved case of Dadiyata's disappearance, which has remained a sensitive subject in Nigerian political discourse.
Presidential Aide Calls for Additional Investigation
Simultaneously, President Bola Tinubu's Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, has called for a separate investigation into El-Rufai following the former governor's confession about wiretapping National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu's phone communications. Onanuga made this demand while reacting to El-Rufai's television interview where he detailed the alleged surveillance operation.
El-Rufai claimed that Ribadu ordered his attempted arrest at Abuja's Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, stating he knew about the NSA's involvement because "he and others listened to his conversation." The former governor further alleged that the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission utilized Department of State Services personnel for the operation, raising additional questions about security agency protocols.
Broader Political Implications
These developments occur against a backdrop of increasing political polarization. El-Rufai recently urged opposition parties to unite against President Tinubu ahead of the 2027 elections, citing the airport incident as motivation to challenge the ruling APC administration. His legal team has criticized the alleged arrest attempt as unlawful and procedurally deficient.
The intersecting controversies involving:
- Dadiyata's unresolved disappearance
- Allegations of cross-state police operations
- Confessed wiretapping of security officials
- Political tensions between former governors
Collectively underscore deepening fractures within Nigeria's political landscape. As calls for investigations multiply from multiple quarters, these allegations threaten to expose deeper systemic issues within Nigeria's security and political establishments while keeping the spotlight on the unresolved case of a missing activist whose disappearance continues to haunt Nigerian civil society.
