Former Kano State Governor and ex-National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Abdullahi Ganduje, has denied any connection to the disappearance of social media commentator Abubakar Idris, known as Dadiyata.
Ganduje reacted on Saturday through a statement issued by his former Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Muhammad Garba, following recent remarks linking him to the case.
Dadiyata, a university lecturer and online critic, was abducted on August 2, 2019, by unknown gunmen as he arrived at his residence in Barnawa, Kaduna State. Since the incident, his location has remained unknown, and the matter has continued to generate public concern and calls for answers.
The issue resurfaced after former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai spoke during a television interview on Friday. El-Rufai denied any involvement in the abduction and stated that the missing lecturer was more critical of the Kano State Government than the Kaduna administration.
He said he only became aware of Dadiyata after the family reported the abduction to the police. He also suggested that if questions were to be asked about the disappearance, attention should be directed toward Kano State authorities.
El-Rufai further mentioned an alleged confession by a police officer years after the abduction, claiming the officer admitted that the operation was carried out by individuals sent from Kano.
In response, Ganduje rejected the allegations and described them as false and politically driven. He maintained that the abduction took place in Kaduna State and should not be linked to him or his administration.
According to him, Dadiyata was widely known in Kaduna for his online criticism, and attempts to associate him with the incident were unfair.
Ganduje also questioned the logic behind the claims made against him, pointing out what he described as inconsistencies in the statements. He said the family of the missing lecturer deserves clear answers and not political arguments over the tragedy.
The disappearance of Dadiyata has remained unresolved for over six years, with no confirmed information about his fate.