Six years after his mysterious disappearance, popular Kaduna-based social media influencer and government critic, Abubakar Idris, widely known as Dadiyata, has been confirmed dead.
Dadiyata was abducted on August 2, 2019, by armed men at his residence in Barnawa, Kaduna State.
His abduction sparked nationwide outrage and concern, especially due to his outspoken views against political figures and his unwavering support for former presidential candidate Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso. For years, his whereabouts remained unknown.
In a major revelation on Wednesday, investigative commentator and public affairs analyst, Damilola Adekunle, announced on Facebook that her private investigation had confirmed the influencer’s death.
“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. #Dadiyata was killed,” she wrote.
Adekunle had, on May 4, 2025, launched a N10 million reward fund aimed at uncovering credible information about the fate of Dadiyata.
She appealed to the public to come forward with any fact-based leads, dead or alive. “I am launching a N10 million fund to reward anyone that can give me a fact-based investigation into what happened to Abubakar Idris (aka Dadiyata). If you know what happened to him, dead or alive, please come to my DM,” she stated at the time.
Since his abduction, Dadiyata’s family and supporters have lived in anguish, demanding answers and accountability.
Human rights group Amnesty International Nigeria had consistently called out the Nigerian authorities, urging transparency in the investigation and accountability over his disappearance.
His mother, who died in 2022 while her son was still missing, had campaigned relentlessly for justice.
She never stopped demanding that the government explain how her son disappeared without a trace in a supposedly secure environment.
