More Trouble for El-Rufai
The Department of State Services (DSS) has seized the passport of former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, as part of an ongoing probe into the 2019 disappearance of Abubakar Idris, widely known as Dadiyata, with security sources alleging the former governor may have had prior knowledge of the operation.
El-Rufai’s passport was taken last Thursday at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, to prevent him from travelling to Egypt while investigations continue. A senior security source said the action was necessary because he was planning to leave the country after scheduled visits to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC).
Dadiyata, a lecturer at the Federal University Dutsinma, Katsina State, was abducted from his Kaduna residence on August 1, 2019, and has remained missing. The case has since become one of Nigeria’s most prominent unresolved abductions.
According to DSS sources, investigators are examining claims that El-Rufai, who was governor at the time, may have been aware of circumstances surrounding the abduction. The suspicion partly stems from his recent statement during an appearance on Arise TV, where he said a police officer allegedly confessed in 2023 to being part of a team sent from Kano to abduct Dadiyata.
El-Rufai denied any personal involvement and said the victim’s troubles were linked to political disputes involving former Kano State governor Abdullahi Ganduje. However, security officials questioned why such a serious confession was not formally reported earlier if it truly occurred.
Investigators are also looking into the possible role or prior knowledge of El-Rufai’s sons, Bello and Bashir, citing past social media posts made in 2019 and 2020 that referenced Dadiyata’s political activism and risks around it. The DSS believes the posts raise questions about what the family may have known and when.
The agency says both sons will be invited for questioning. It stressed that Nigerian law requires citizens to report credible information about crimes and forbids concealment of material facts.
Security sources say the DSS has been working with the EFCC and ICPC for over a year on connected intelligence trails. The agency maintains that the investigation is focused on establishing responsibility and ensuring accountability for all those linked to the abduction.
