Amnesty International has called on President Bola Tinubu to take immediate action to uncover the whereabouts of Abubakar Idris, popularly known as Dadiyata, a university lecturer and social media critic who was abducted from his home in Kaduna six years ago.
The organisation’s Country Director, Isa Sanusi, made the appeal during a press briefing in Kaduna. He criticised the Nigerian government for what he described as a lack of effort and interest in finding the missing lecturer.
Dadiyata, who was known for criticising politicians and the government online, was taken from his home on August 2, 2019. According to his family, masked gunmen kidnapped him at gunpoint just as he returned home and was locking his gate. He has not been seen or heard from since.
“For six years, there has been no clear action or information from the authorities. Apart from weak police promises, there has been no progress, no update, nothing,” Sanusi said. “The government must break the silence and find out what happened to Dadiyata.”
Amnesty International believes that Dadiyata’s abduction may be linked to his outspoken criticism of government officials on social media. They say his case is a reflection of growing threats against freedom of speech in Nigeria.
Sanusi stressed that enforced disappearances like Dadiyata’s are a violation of international law and are often used by authoritarian regimes to instill fear in society.
“What happened to Dadiyata should not happen in a country that claims to uphold democracy and the rule of law. The longer this case remains unresolved, the more it damages trust in the government,” he added.
The rights group urged President Tinubu to do what previous administrations failed to do—find the truth, reveal the facts, and give Dadiyata’s family the answers they deserve.
