6-years after, unconfirmed report alleges Dadiyata is dead 

After nearly six years of mystery, whispers and an unrelenting campaign for justice, a chilling new claim has reignited the nation’s attention on the fate of missing university lecturer and outspoken government critic, Idris Abubakar, better known by his alias, Dadiyata.

Abducted from his home in Kaduna State in the early hours of August 2, 2019, Dadiyata’s disappearance quickly became one of Nigeria’s most haunting unresolved cases—an open wound for human rights advocates, journalists and concerned citizens who have continued to echo the haunting question: “Where is Dadiyata?”

Now, over half a decade later, the silence has been broken—not by government authorities, but by a private citizen.

In a statement posted on June 10, 2025, social commentator and activist Damilola Adekunle claimed that her independent investigation confirmed Dadiyata is dead.

“It is with a heavy heart that I announce that after thorough investigations, I can confirm that Idris Abubakar, popularly known as Dadiyata, is officially dead,” she wrote. “#Dadiyata was killed.”

The announcement came just weeks after Adekunle offered a ₦10 million reward on May 4 for credible, fact-based information regarding Dadiyata’s fate—an effort that drew wide attention and reignited calls for transparency and justice.

“Are you an investigative journalist? A security agent? Were you part of the team that took him?” she asked in a May post verified by Kano Times. “Do you have solid proof that he is dead or alive? I am launching a ₦10 million fund to reward anyone that can provide a fact-based investigation into what happened to Abubakar IDRIS (aka Dadiyata).”

She assured potential whistleblowers of complete anonymity: “On my honour, your privacy will be protected—even before God.”

Despite the weight of her announcement, Adekunle provided no specific evidence or names to support her conclusion. Her post, however, has set social media ablaze, with fresh calls for the Nigerian government to reveal what it knows—or to launch a credible, independent investigation into Dadiyata’s fate.

Before his disappearance, Dadiyata had built a reputation as a bold and unfiltered critic of the Nigerian government, particularly its policies and political elites. A university lecturer by profession, he used his social media platforms to amplify dissent, challenge state narratives, and advocate for accountability. His online voice, sharp and fearless, made him a target of both admiration and hostility.

Shortly before he was taken, he had publicly disclosed threats and harassment, raising fears about his safety. Those fears were tragically validated when unidentified men reportedly seized him at the gate of his home and drove off—leaving no trace, no demand for ransom, and no official explanation.

Human rights organizations, including Amnesty International and various press freedom coalitions, have long suspected state involvement in Dadiyata’s disappearance. Yet, both the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Kaduna State Government have repeatedly denied any involvement or knowledge of his whereabouts.

The circumstances of his abduction—occurring without a ransom demand and without any subsequent criminal investigation of note—fueled suspicions of political suppression.

The new claim by Adekunle, though unverified, has renewed demands for accountability and transparency. Advocacy groups, media organizations, and civil society actors are calling for an independent probe into both the disappearance and the reported death, urging President Tinubu’s administration to take a stand.

“We cannot allow Dadiyata’s case to fade into the shadows of unresolved injustice,” one activist wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “If he is indeed gone, we owe him the truth—and his family the dignity of closure.”

As the nation reacts to this latest development, one painful reality remains: for six years, a man vanished in plain sight, and not a single person has been held accountable.

Whether or not Dadiyata is truly gone, the fight for answers is far from over.

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