NNPP Kano Demands Probe into 2019 Abduction After Fresh Allegations
The Kano State chapter of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) has urged Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf to launch an immediate investigation into the unresolved 2019 disappearance of social media commentator Abubakar Dadiyata. The call follows renewed allegations by former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai that Dadiyata’s abductors originated from Kano State.
Dadiyata was reportedly abducted from his home in Kaduna in August 2019. His whereabouts remain unknown, and his case has drawn periodic national attention. In a recent television interview, El-Rufai stated that Dadiyata was primarily known for criticising the then-Kano State Government under former Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, not the Kaduna State administration. “Dadiyata was not a fierce critic of Kaduna State Government; he was a fierce critic of Kano State Government,” El-Rufai claimed, adding that initial investigations indicated his kidnappers came from Kano.
Responding to these assertions, the NNPP in Kano issued a formal statement on Saturday, signed by its Publicity Secretary, Engr. Ibrahim Karaye. The party emphasised that Governor Yusuf, who campaigned on addressing issues of injustice, must not ignore the matter. “The governor promised during his campaign that issues of injustice would be addressed,” Karaye stated.
The statement warned that any delay in probing the incident could foster a perception that political considerations are superseding accountability and justice. The NNPP framed the demand as a test of the administration’s commitment to its pre-election pledges and the rule of law.
The fresh allegations have resurfaced a case that has lingered for over five years, highlighting persistent concerns about enforced disappearances and accountability in northern Nigeria. The call for a state-level probe places pressure on the Kano government to clarify its connection, if any, to the abduction. Observers note that a transparent investigation could set a significant precedent for addressing unresolved cases of alleged rights violations, while inaction may deepen public scepticism towards governance institutions in the region.
