Abuja — The Department of State Services (DSS) has opened an investigation into former Kaduna State Governor Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai and his two sons over their alleged involvement in the 2019 disappearance of Abubakar Idris, also known as Dadiyata. The agency confirmed that the seizure of El-Rufai’s passport at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, last Thursday was aimed at preventing him from leaving the country, reportedly to Egypt, after a brief visit to Nigeria.
According to a top security source, the DSS has been conducting months-long investigations that suggest El-Rufai may have had knowledge of the circumstances surrounding Dadiyata’s abduction. Dadiyata, a lecturer in the Department of English and Linguistics at the Federal University Dutsinma, Katsina State, was abducted from his Kaduna home on August 1, 2019, and has remained missing since.
The source claimed that El-Rufai, who governed Kaduna between 2015 and 2023, appeared on Arise TV last week asserting that a remorseful police officer confessed to being part of a team sent from Kano State to abduct Dadiyata. He denied personal involvement and stated that Dadiyata was a supporter of the Kwankwasiyya movement and a political opponent of the then Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje.
DSS officials, however, questioned the veracity of El-Rufai’s statements, highlighting that if he truly knew of such a confession in 2023, he failed to inform law enforcement or his successor, potentially violating provisions under the Criminal Code Act and Penal Code of Kaduna State related to concealment of evidence and aiding suspects.
Social media posts by El-Rufai’s sons, Bello and Bashir, appear to contradict his claim of ignorance, with comments suggesting awareness of Dadiyata as a perceived threat. DSS sources indicate that both sons may also be summoned to assist in the ongoing investigation.
The investigation is being conducted in collaboration with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Crimes Commission (ICPC), with DSS officials emphasizing that the matter is distinct from past allegations of corruption linked to El-Rufai’s administration.
Public calls for accountability have intensified, with prominent Nigerians, including Omoyele Sowore, Reno Omokri, Prof. Chidi Odinkalu, Deji Adeyanju, and former Kaduna senator Shehu Sani urging thorough investigation and prosecution of El-Rufai and associates.
The DSS continues to stress that El-Rufai is fully aware of the investigation and that the passport seizure serves to ensure compliance with investigative procedures.
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