The Department of State Services (DSS) has disclosed why it seized the passport of former Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, last Thursday at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

The move is part of an ongoing investigation into the alleged involvement of El-Rufai and his sons in the 2019 disappearance of Abubakar Idris, popularly known as Dadiyata.

A senior DSS source said the seizure was aimed at preventing El-Rufai from leaving the country for Egypt after a brief visit to Nigeria.

“El-Rufai is fully aware that the DSS is investigating him for Dadiyata’s kidnap. He had planned to visit the EFCC on Monday and the ICPC on Tuesday before flying back to Cairo. Seizing his passport disrupted those plans,” the source said.

The investigation follows months of discreet work indicating that El-Rufai, who was governor at the time, may have had knowledge of Dadiyata’s disappearance.

Dadiyata, a lecturer at the Federal University Dutsinma, Katsina State, was abducted from his Kaduna home on August 1, 2019, and has remained missing.

El-Rufai, in an appearance on Arise TV last week, claimed that a remorseful policeman confessed in 2023 to being part of a team sent from Kano to abduct Dadiyata.

He denied any personal involvement, insisting that the lecturer’s issues were linked to former Kano State Governor Abdullahi Ganduje and that he had no prior knowledge of Dadiyata.

The DSS questioned the credibility of El-Rufai’s claims, particularly the timing of the alleged confession and his failure to report it immediately.

The agency plans to summon his sons, Bello and Bashir, whose social media posts suggest prior awareness of the case.

Posts by Bashir in December 2019 and Bello in March 2020 imply the family knew of Dadiyata’s political activities and potential risks, raising concerns about concealment of critical information.

The DSS highlighted laws requiring citizens to report crimes and prohibiting concealment of evidence.

“El-Rufai and his sons will be invited to assist in our investigations,” the source added, noting collaboration with the EFCC and ICPC for over a year to examine links to the 2019 abduction.

The case has drawn calls for justice from prominent Nigerians and human rights activists, including Omoyele Sowore, Reno Omokri, Prof. Chidi Odinkalu, Deji Adeyanju, and former Kaduna senator Shehu Sani.

The DSS confirmed its focus remains on determining the involvement of the former governor and his sons and ensuring all responsible parties are held accountable.

This development intensifies one of Nigeria’s most high-profile unresolved kidnapping cases, raising pressing questions about accountability among public officials. (The Sun)