Justice Denied: Dadiyata Found Dead After 6 Years—Who’s Accountable?

Dadiyata 

Introduction: A Voice Silenced—But Not Forgotten

In August 2019, Abubakar Idris widely known online as Dadiyata was abducted from his home in Kaduna State under mysterious circumstances. A lecturer, fierce critic of the political establishment, and digital activist, Dadiyata’s disappearance sparked national outrage and birthed the hashtag #WhereIsDadiyata, which trended for months across Nigeria.

Now, over six years later, the worst fears have been confirmed.

Independent investigator and journalist Damilola Adekunle announced on June 10, 2025, that her team had verified that Dadiyata was killed. The announcement is the first definitive claim about his fate since he vanished and it raises urgent questions that go far beyond one man’s life.

What We Know: The Disappearance and Investigation

On the night of August 2, 2019, Dadiyata returned home from work and was reportedly abducted at gunpoint by unknown men. The assailants posed as security operatives and forced him into a car. Since that night, no credible information had emerged—until now.

Damilola Adekunle, who launched a ₦10 million fund to pursue independent investigations into unresolved abductions, made the chilling announcement via social media:

“After thorough investigations, I can confirm that Idris Abubakar, known as #Dadiyata, is officially dead. He was killed.”

She has not yet revealed the identity of those involved or the exact circumstances surrounding his death likely due to legal and security constraints but her statement has reignited a long-dormant national trauma.

Why Dadiyata Mattered: The Power and Peril of Speaking Out

Dadiyata was more than a social media influencer. He was a lecturer at the Federal University Dutsin-Ma, a committed political thinker, and a fierce critic of government impunity. He used platforms like Twitter (now X) to challenge corruption, expose abuses, and galvanize young Nigerians toward political engagement.

His disappearance was widely interpreted as an attempt to silence dissent and now, his confirmed death appears to validate those fears.

This is not an isolated case. In recent years, journalists, activists, and critics in Nigeria have faced increasing risks—from unlawful detention to enforced disappearances. The message is loud and chilling: dissent carries a price.

The Legal Vacuum: When the State Fails to Protect

Under Nigerian law, a missing person can only be declared dead after seven years of continuous absence unless direct proof of death emerges earlier. While Dadiyata’s case technically falls under that timeline, the investigator’s declaration shifts the burden onto the state and federal authorities.

If the state had no hand in his disappearance, then:

• Why has there been no arrest or credible investigation for six years?

• Why was his mother who died still seeking answers ignored by the authorities?

• And why has his death been confirmed only through an independent journalist, rather than law enforcement?

These are not just rhetorical questions they are constitutional failures.

The Political Context: Free Speech Under Threat

Dadiyata’s disappearance occurred amid a broader crackdown on dissent in Nigeria. From the arrests of #EndSARS protesters to the harassment of investigative journalists, Nigeria’s civic space has narrowed dangerously in the last decade.

His case reflects three major crises:

1. Impunity of state-aligned actors, including security personnel.

2. Weaponization of silence to crush dissent.

3. Failure of democratic institutions to protect the most basic rights: life, liberty, and freedom of expression.

A Mother's Grief, A Nation’s Shame

Dadiyata's mother passed away in 2022, having spent the final years of her life demanding answers that never came. She symbolized not just maternal sorrow but a broader national frustration with a system that appears indifferent to justice, truth, and transparency.

Her death and now the confirmed death of her son should haunt every institution tasked with upholding justice in Nigeria.

What Needs to Happen Now

1. A Judicial Inquiry: The federal government must launch a full, transparent judicial inquiry into the abduction and death of Dadiyata.

2. Prosecution of Perpetrators: Those involved whether state or non-state actors must be identified and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

3. Legal Reform: Enforced disappearances must be explicitly criminalized under Nigerian law, with mechanisms for independent oversight.

4. Protection for Whistleblowers and Investigators: Journalists and investigators like Damilola Adekunle must be protected, not targeted, for seeking the truth.

Conclusion: Who Killed Dadiyata and Why Is It Still a Mystery?

In confirming that Dadiyata was killed, Nigeria confronts not just a tragedy, but a test. A test of whether democracy can survive without accountability. A test of whether voices can be silenced without consequence. A test of whether justice is a reality or just a slogan.

The death of Abubakar Idris is no longer a question. But justice for Dadiyata is still pending.

Will Nigeria pass that test?