Dadiyata: Buhari failed but Tinubu still has a chance – Amnesty Int’l

Six years after the mysterious disappearance of University lecturer and vocal government critic, Abubakar Idris, better known as Dadiyata, Amnesty International has condemned the Nigerian government for its silence and lack of action, describing the case as a glaring example of state failure to protect its citizens.

At a press briefing in Kaduna on Saturday, Country Director of Amnesty International Nigeria, Isa Sanusi, said the government’s inaction over Dadiyata’s case is not only deeply painful to the family but also an indictment of the country’s commitment to human rights and justice.

“His 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.

SPONSOR AD

Dadiyata was abducted from his Kaduna home on August 2, 2019, by masked men who took him away in his own car shortly after he returned from work. Since then, there has been no trace of him, no investigation outcome, and no official explanation.

1,400 to be admitted into 5 reopened entrepreneurship institutions in Kano ‘Attack on press freedom’, Amnesty Int’l rejects Move to demolish Niger Radio Station Sanusi stated that the circumstances surrounding the abduction suggest a targeted operation.

“This is the kind of disappearance that happens in authoritarian regimes, where the state or state-backed actors use abductions to spread fear and suppress dissent,” he noted.

He maintained that whether or not the state was directly involved, it still bears responsibility.

“Even if the government didn’t take him, they failed to protect him. Human rights are obligations that cannot be waived,” he added.

According to Amnesty, the Nigerian security agencies have failed to carry out a credible investigation and have only offered what Sanusi described as “weak and weightless” assurances.

“Six years on, we have no report, no arrest, no accountability. Nothing.”

Dadiyata’s younger brother, Usman Idris, recounted the emotional devastation the disappearance has caused the family.

“Our mother died waiting for him. One of our uncles died from the trauma. Our father is hanging on by a thread. We just want the truth. We want justice,” he said.

Usman described his brother as a patriot who used his voice and platform to demand a better Nigeria, not a criminal or a threat to society.

“He stood for justice. He spoke for ordinary Nigerians. And now, we don’t even know where he is or if he’s alive.”

For his wife, Khadija Ahmad Lame, the silence has been unbearable.

“Our children ask, ‘Where is Daddy?’ I have no answers. We’ve lived in fear, confusion, and heartbreak every single day for six years,” she said tearfully.

Amnesty International called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to break the chain of neglect and act decisively.

“The Buhari administration failed. President Tinubu now has a chance to show leadership by ordering a full, independent, and transparent investigation,” Sanusi urged.

The rights group also warned that the growing trend of silencing critics either through harassment or disappearance is shrinking civic space in Nigeria and sending a dangerous signal.

“This is no longer just about Dadiyata. It is about every Nigerian who dares to speak truth to power. The silence must end. Six years is too long.”

Source: DailyTrust | Continue to Full Story…