Six years on Dadiyata’s family still waits for answer

From Femi Oyelola in Kaduna

Amnesty International has condemned the Nigerian government for its silence and lack of action over the mysterious disappearance of a University lecturer and vocal government critic, Abubakar Idris, better known as Dadiyata.

Six years after Dadiyata’s abduction from his Kaduna home, Amnesty International’s Country Director, Isa Sanusi, said the government’s inaction is a glaring example of state failure to protect its citizens.

“Dadiyata’s family waited, hoping he would return that night. They waited and waited. From days to months, and now six years. We are still asking: where is Dadiyata?” Sanusi asked.

The circumstances surrounding the abduction suggest a targeted operation, with Amnesty International noting that the state or state-backed actors may have been involved.

Dadiyata’s family has been left devastated, with his younger brother, Usman Idris, recounting the emotional toll the disappearance has taken. “Our mother died waiting for him. One of our uncles died from the trauma. Our father is hanging on by a thread. We want the truth. We want justice,” he said.

Amnesty International has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to break the chain of neglect and act decisively, urging him to order a full, independent, and transparent investigation into Dadiyata’s disappearance.

“The Buhari administration failed. President Tinubu now has a chance to show leadership,” Sanusi said, warning that the growing trend of silencing critics is shrinking civic space in Nigeria and sending a dangerous signal.