Mysterious disappearance of Dadiyata: Act now or we hire private investigators, Amnesty International tells FG

By AMOS MATHEW, Kaduna –

Amnesty International has threatened to engage the services of private investigators to unravel the mysteries behind the disappearance of Abubakar Idris popularly known as Dadiyata if the Federal Government fails to act.

Country Director Amnesty International Nigeria Isa Sanusi at a press conference over the weekend in Kaduna, lamented what he described as lack of interest and effort on the side of Nigerian government to provide answers on the fate of Dadiyata six years after his abduction.

Sanusi, while decrying rising cases of harassment and persecution of critics of government, many of whom he said had been unjustly detained, the country head of Amnesty International charged security agencies to rise to their primary duty of protecting lives and property of citizens.

The Thirty-year-old father of two was abducted at gunpoint from his Kaduna home, according to Sanusi, while returning from Kastina State where he served as a lecturer in the Department of Languages, Federal University Dutsinma.

“On 2 August 2019 Abubakar Idris called Dadiyata arrived home here in Kaduna after a long day and drove in and was about to lock the entrance gates when gunmen appeared, according to his wife and whisked him away in his car by masked gunmen.

“His family waited in vain days after days, months after months and years after years, making it six years now with no trace or a hint about his whereabouts.

“Amnesty International, Dadiyata’s family, friends and other well-meaning Nigerians have been asking about the whereabouts of a citizen whose abduction and subsequent disappearance still remain a mystery six years after.

“Dadiyata was someone I knew personally. Infact, I spoke with him days before his abduction. He was energetic, courageous and respectful. His activities on social media were notable for their incisve commitment to a better Nigeria. His political activities were rooted in uplifting the common man,” The Amnesty boss explained.

He added that the abduction of the social critic and the circumstance of his disappearance may not be unconnected to his relentless criticism of government and political actors, which he pointed out as regular occurrence in Nigeria due to weak adherence to law and order and respect for freedom of speech.

He described the atmosphere as enforced disappearance tactic utilized by people in authorities to instil fear and terror in society to gag citizens from expressing their minds on issues relating to governance.

He stressed the prohibition of enforced disappearance under international law as it violates a wide range of human rights, because of its negative effects on families of the victims and thr society in general.

Despite government’s denial in Dadiyata’s disappearance, Amnesty International believed it was only rational to point accusing fingers in the direction of elected officials and actors due to their constitutional obligation to ensure protection of lives of citizens.

In her speech at the press conference, wife of Dadiyata, Khadija Lame expressed sadness and disappointment over the inability of authorities to unveil the faces behind the abduction of her husband whom she described as loving husband and caring father to his two kids aged 11 and seven.

She said Dadiyata’s mother died due to a prolonged depression caused by the abduction of her son who was the breadwinner of the family.

According to her, the father had been sick also, an ailment attributed to the disappearance of his son.

Also speaking, brother of Dadiyata Usman Idris appealed to President Bola Tinubu to order a special investigation to ascertain the true nature of the disappearance of his sibling to bring to book all those responsible.