Ganduje Rejects El-Rufai’s Allegations, Calls for Scrutiny Over Dadiyata Claims
Former Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has strongly dismissed allegations by former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, linking him to the disappearance of Abubakar Idris, popularly known as Dadiyata.
In a statement signed by the former Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs in Kano State, Comrade Muhammad Garba, the former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) described the allegations as reckless and unfounded. He said the claims appeared to be an attempt to shift responsibility for an incident that occurred within Kaduna State.
Garba noted that Dadiyata lived and operated in Kaduna, where he was widely known for criticizing the Kaduna State Government.
He stated that there was no credible record indicating that the activist’s primary focus was the Kano State Government or Dr. Ganduje.
“Everyone in Kaduna knew the nature of the criticism he made and who it was directed at,” the statement read, emphasizing that responsibility for security in Kaduna at the time rested with the state government and relevant federal security agencies operating in the state.
The statement called for careful scrutiny of El-Rufai’s recent remarks, stressing that serious allegations must be backed by verifiable evidence rather than political rhetoric. According to Garba, dragging Ganduje into the matter without proof politicizes an already sensitive and unresolved case and risks misleading the public.
Contrasting the political environments of Kano and Kaduna during the period in question, Garba maintained that Ganduje’s two-term administration in Kano was characterized by tolerance for criticism, open media engagement and accommodation of opposition voices. He asserted that there was no record of arrests, intimidation or harassment of journalists and critics in Kano during Ganduje’s tenure.
Garba further observed that public discourse surrounding Dadiyata’s disappearance had largely focused on developments within Kaduna State.
He referenced comments by former Senator Shehu Sani, who had previously suggested that many individuals in the state were reluctant to speak publicly about the case.
He also mentioned remarks by commentator Reno Omokri questioning how the matter was handled at the time.
The former commissioner expressed concern over El-Rufai’s claim that a police officer allegedly confessed to being sent from Kano to abduct Dadiyata.
He questioned why such information, if credible, was not formally presented to investigative authorities or pursued transparently through appropriate security channels.
“It is difficult to reconcile a claim of having no prior knowledge of the individual with simultaneously making detailed assertions about who was responsible,” Garba stated.
While reiterating sympathy for Dadiyata’s family, Garba emphasized that the priority should remain on uncovering the truth through lawful and transparent investigative processes.
“The family deserves closure,” he said. “What they do not deserve is for this tragic matter to become an instrument of political blame-shifting.”
He urged anyone with credible information regarding the abduction to present it to the appropriate authorities, stressing that accountability must be based on facts and due process rather than speculation.
