Missing Critic Dadiyata: El-Rufai Denial Challenged by Omokri

A dispute has emerged between former Nigerian presidential aide Reno Omokri and ex-Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai concerning the status of missing activist Abubakar Idris, widely known as Dadiyata.

The conflict follows an interview El-Rufai gave on Arise TV on Friday, during which he denied any prior knowledge of or meeting with Dadiyata, who was abducted in 2019. Responding on the social media platform X on Saturday, Omokri directly contested this assertion. He stated that Dadiyata was a known critic of El-Rufai’s administration and claimed to possess evidence supporting this. Omokri further referenced social media activity from the time of the abduction, noting that El-Rufai’s son, Bashir, had appeared to celebrate the event.

Omokri questioned the broader circumstances of Dadiyata’s disappearance, highlighting the prolonged uncertainty for the activist’s family. “Dadiyata’s wife and their two young daughters deserve to know what happened to their loved one,” he wrote, framing the case as an unresolved human issue.

Dadiyata, a vocal commentator, was abducted from his residence in Kaduna on August 2, 2019. He has not been seen since, and his whereabouts remain unknown. The case has consistently drawn attention from civil society and political observers, with frequent calls for accountability and investigation.

The exchange underscores the persistent public and political scrutiny surrounding the activist’s disappearance, now approaching its fifth year. It also highlights the deep-seated political divisions in public discourse regarding the incident. No official statement from investigating authorities has been released in direct response to the recent public allegations.