17/02/2026
PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
STERLING CENTRE FOR LAW AND DEVELOPMENT URGES ATTORNEY-GENERAL OF THE FEDERATION TO ORDER A THOROUGH, INDEPENDENT PROBE INTO THE ENFORCED DISAPPEARANCE OF ABUBAKAR IDRIS (“DADIYATA”)
Abuja, Nigeria — 16 February 2026: Sterling Centre for Law and Development (Sterling Law Centre), a public-interest law and justice-sector accountability organisation, has today 16 February, 2026 formally written to the Honourable Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, requesting an urgent, thorough and independent investigation into the enforced disappearance of Mr. Abubakar Idris, popularly known as “Dadiyata”, who was reportedly seized by masked gunmen from his residence in Barnawa, Kaduna State, on 2 August 2019.
The organisation notes that despite repeated calls by the family and civil society over the years, the case remains unresolved, with no publicly known outcome of any credible investigation.
This renewed call follows fresh public remarks credited to former Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, during a televised interview on Arise Television/Arise News (Friday, 13 February 2026), in which he reportedly suggested that Dadiyata was likely abducted through state-linked operations and further alleged that a police officer confessed to involvement several years later—yet no arrests, prosecutions, or transparent investigative outcomes followed.
Sterling Law Centre stated that it included a link to the relevant Arise Television/Arise News interview clip/report in its correspondence to the HAGF for ease of reference, alongside related media coverage.
“The disappearance of any citizen is grievous; the disappearance of a citizen amid credible allegations of state involvement is a constitutional emergency,” said Ikenna Ezekwem, Executive Director of Sterling Centre for Law and Development. “Where the public is now being told that there was a confession by a law enforcement officer and yet nothing happened, the message that sends is impunity. Nigeria cannot normalise enforced disappearances.”
Sterling Law Centre emphasised that the matter engages Nigeria’s constitutional guarantees—particularly the rights to dignity of the human person and personal liberty—and Nigeria’s obligations under regional and international human rights frameworks that require prompt, impartial, effective, and transparent investigations into allegations of abduction, unlawful detention, and enforced disappearance.
“An enforced disappearance is not just one crime; it is a chain of crimes that continues every day the victim’s fate and whereabouts are concealed,” the director added. “The Attorney-General is uniquely positioned—constitutionally and institutionally—to demand answers, compel inter-agency cooperation, and ensure an investigation that is independent, time-bound, and capable of delivering accountability.”
WHAT STERLING LAW CENTRE IS ASKING THE HAGF TO DO
In its letter, Sterling Law Centre called on the Attorney-General to:
1. Direct an independent, thorough, and time-bound investigation into Dadiyata’s disappearance, including the circumstances of the alleged confession and any institutional cover-up;
2. Constitute or mandate a credible investigative mechanism with clear terms of reference, including protections for witnesses and whistleblowers;
3. Ensure inter-agency cooperation (Police leadership, DSS and other relevant security institutions, where necessary) and preservation/production of relevant records; and
4. Provide public-facing accountability—at minimum, confirmation that an investigation has commenced and periodic updates consistent with national security and due process.
Sterling Law Centre also urged the Federal Government to treat the matter as a test of Nigeria’s commitment to accountability and rule of law, noting that silence and institutional inertia in cases of this nature deepen public distrust and undermine confidence in law enforcement oversight.
“This is not about politics. It is about the minimum standards of a constitutional democracy,” the director said. “If a citizen can be taken from his home and vanish for years—while institutions look away—then none of us is truly protected by the law.”
MEDIA/INTERVIEW REQUESTS
Sterling Law Centre is available to speak with media partners and stakeholders on the legal, human rights and accountability dimensions of the request to the HAGF, including Nigeria’s obligations under the anti-torture and human rights framework and the need for stronger safeguards against unlawful detention and enforced disappearances.
ENDS
https://saharareporters.com/2026/02/16/centre-urges-attorney-general-fagbemi-order-independent-probe-dadiyatas-disappearance
El-Rufai’s Remarks: Centre Seeks Fresh Probe Of Dadiyata’s Disappearance
https://leadership.ng/el-rufais-remarks-centre-seeks-fresh-probe-of-dadiyatas-disappearance/
https://independent.ng/centre-urges-agf-to-order-independent-probe-into-dadiyatas-disappearance/
