ABUJA — In a poignant twist of fate, the wife of missing social media critic Abubakar Idris, popularly known as Dadiyata, has issued a heart-wrenching appeal to the former Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, begging for the return of her husband after nearly seven years in the wilderness.
The emotional plea comes at a time when Mallam El-Rufai himself is facing a turbulent legal battle, having spent the last 72 hours in the custody of the EFCC and the ICPC over allegations of financial misappropriation and cybercrime.
The “Agony of the Disappeared”
Dadiyata, a fierce critic of the former Governor and the All Progressives Congress (APC), was abducted from his residence in Barnawa, Kaduna, on August 2, 2019. Since that night, his whereabouts have remained a dark mystery, leaving a void in his home that his wife, Hafsat, says has become an “unbearable prison of grief.”
In an interview that has moved many to tears on Thursday, February 19, 2026, Hafsat recalled the psychological trauma she endured, specifically pointing to a past incident where one of the former Governor’s sons reportedly mocked her husband’s disappearance on social media.
“I felt like dying when El-Rufai’s son mocked my husband’s disappearance,” Hafsat lamented. “I am appealing to Nasir El-Rufai, please fear Allah and bring back my husband. Whether he is dead or alive, just let us know so we can have closure. Our children deserve to know what happened to their father.”
“The Irony of Power” — Nigerians React with Mixed Emotions
The timing of this appeal, coinciding with El-Rufai’s own loss of freedom, has triggered a wave of visceral reactions across the country. Many Nigerians have noted the “bitter irony” of a man who once held absolute power over life and property now sitting in a detention cell.
- “The Law of Karma”:Â “When Dadiyata disappeared, the Kaduna government acted as if nothing happened,” remarked one popular analyst on X (formerly Twitter). “Today, the same man who oversaw that era is complaining of ‘persecution’ and ‘illegal detention.’ It is a stark reminder that power is transient.”
- “Selective Justice”: Critics of the President Bola Tinubu administration have blasted the security agencies, arguing that while they are “efficient” at arresting El-Rufai for political reasons, they have remained “ghosts” in the search for Dadiyata. “If they can find El-Rufai in 24 hours, why haven’t they found Dadiyata in seven years?” a resident in Kaduna queried.
- “A Mother’s Cry”: On social media, the sentiment has been largely empathetic toward Hafsat. “Regardless of politics, a wife deserves to know where her husband is. This woman has been in mourning for 2,392 days. It is a national disgrace,” another viral post read.
The Legal Siege Continues
As Hafsat makes her plea, El-Rufai remains in ICPC custody following his “gate-side interception” at the EFCC headquarters on Wednesday night. He is currently being grilled over a ₦423 billion financial mismanagement report and separate cybercrime charges involving the alleged bugging of the National Security Adviser’s phone.
While the former Governor’s legal team fights for his release, the ghost of Dadiyata continues to haunt his legacy. For Hafsat and her children, the “Bestie era” or “Political Coalitions” mean nothing—they only want a father who went to park his car seven years ago and never came back inside.
