By Farooq Kperogi

Now that Abdullahi Ganduje has issued a (tepid) denial of Nasir El-Rufai’s televised allegation of his complicity in Abubakar “Dadiyata” Idris’ unexplained disappearance, I have a few thoughts to share.

Dadiyata and I followed each other on Twitter when I was active there, so I have a fair sense of what he tweeted about. El-Rufai correctly described Dadiyata as a Kwankwasiyya devotee. But Dadiyata was openly critical not just of Ganduje but of several APC figures, including Buhari and El-Rufai. Sadly, his Twitter handle has now been disabled, perhaps because of extended inactivity.

When Dadiyata was active on Twitter, Rabiu Kwankwaso and Atiku Abubakar were in the PDP, and Kwankwaso’s supporters were strongly associated with Atiku’s presidential bid.

While Ganduje may indeed have had strong political incentives to view Dadiyata as a threat in view of the intense rivalry between Ganduje and Kwankwaso, El-Rufai’s suggestion that Dadiyata was not a fierce critic of his does not square with the public record.

From my recollections, Dadiyata’s Twitter commentary frequently targeted El-Rufai, as many people have already pointed out.

It is also difficult to ignore that Bashir El-Rufai, El-Rufai’s son, had, in a December 2019 tweet, mocked both Dadiyata’s disappearance and the social media campaign for his safe return, saying, “Dangerous lies in the public space have consequences.”

That’s no proof that El-Rufai was guilty of disappearing Dadiyata, but given El-Rufai’s close relationship with his children, Bashir’s tweet is at least circumstantial evidence of El-Rufai’s knowledge of and unease with Dadiyata’s biting commentaries (disguised as “dangerous lies in the public space”) and his interest in making him pay for it (“consequences”).

From my perspective, both El-Rufai and Ganduje have a probable political and emotional investment in squelching and disappearing Dadiyata, and I won’t be shocked if it later emerges that they collaborated to achieve this and that El-Rufai is squealing now only because he is still smarting from his painful exit from the inner circle of power, is now politically at odds with Ganduje, and thinks there will be no consequence for his disclosure.

I searched credible public records for a list of critics El-Rufai caused to be arrested, detained, prosecuted, or tortured when he was governor. Although many people mention “more than 20,” I was able to verify 15.

The U.S. State Department’s 2019 Human Rights Report, for example, said nine community elders in Southern Kaduna were detained “by order of Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai” in retaliation for criticizing him.

In 2016, a journalist by the name of Jacob Onjewu Dickson was arrested and charged for reporting that El-Rufai was pelted with stones. In the same year, Dr. John Danfulani, a lecturer, was arrested and prosecuted for his criticism of El-Rufai.

Other critics El-Rufai arrested and harassed are Audu Maikori (music executive, 2017); Luka Binniyat (journalist, 2017); Stephen Kefas (journalist/activist, 2019); and Bello Yabo (Islamic scholar, 2020).

The 15 is not, by any means, a ceiling. It is merely the lowest defensible count from cases I can verify. But I am certain there are more.

As for Ganduje, I have found at least five identifiable people who were arrested, detained, remanded, or taken to court for criticizing him.

They are Mu’azu Magaji, former Kano commissioner and critic; Abdulmajid Danbilki Kwamanda, politician and critic; Mubarak Muhammad and Nazifi Isa Muhammad, TikTok satirists; and Jaafar Jaafar, publisher of Daily Nigerian.

While most governors in Nigeria are morbidly intolerant of even the mildest criticism, El-Rufai enjoys notoriety as perhaps the most thin-skinned and intolerant governor since 1999.

Given their records of intolerance to criticism, the best I can surmise is that El-Rufai and Ganduje found common cause in silencing Dadiyata since he was severely critical of both of them.

Now, since El-Rufai appears to have information about Dadiyata’s disappearance, even going so far as to mention an unnamed police officer who reputedly told someone that Dadiyata’s arrest was ordered from Kano, we have, for the first time ever, a solid, potentially helpful investigatory lead.

Law enforcement authorities should, without delay, invite El-Rufai to disclose the identity of the police officer under conditions that allow independent verification. Ganduje’s disclaimer is not enough. He should also be questioned.

The disappearance of a citizen over expressed opinions is too grave to be reduced to political theater or media spectacle. I hope this provides an opportunity for Dadiyata’s family to get closure on this sordid episode.

By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

Ramadan is unlikely to commence in Nigeria on Wednesday, February 18, 2026, following astronomical projections that indicate the crescent moon will not be visible on Tuesday evening.

Abubakar Simwal, an astronomer and member of the National Moonsighting Committee of Nigeria, said calculations show that the new moon will be too young and positioned too low on the horizon to be sighted—either with the naked eye or through a standard telescope.

According to Simwal, the astronomical conjunction of the Ramadan moon will occur at 1:01 p.m. Nigerian time on Tuesday, February 17. By sunset that day, the crescent will be less than six hours old across Nigeria, with an average elongation of about two degrees.

He added that the moon is expected to set approximately nine minutes after sunset nationwide, a window he described as insufficient for visibility under established astronomical criteria.

“With this data, it is astronomically established that the crescent will not be visible in Nigeria on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, either with the naked eye or with a standard telescope. These calculations are carried out with a high degree of precision,” Simwal said.

Based on the projections, Ramadan is therefore likely to begin on Thursday, February 19, subject to official confirmation.

However, the formal declaration of the commencement of Ramadan rests with the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs under the leadership of the Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar, following the nationwide moonsighting exercise.

By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

President Bola Tinubu on Saturday praised Kebbi State Governor Nasir Idris for executing transformative infrastructure projects, describing him as a “man of mission and vision” with the masses’ interests at heart.

The President made the remarks in Birnin Kebbi during the inauguration of an ultra-modern State Secretariat Complex, which the state government named after Tinubu in recognition of his leadership. The visit marked the President’s first official trip to the state and underscored the strong political ties between the two leaders.

“I know what you can do. You are a man of mission and vision. I am always proud of you,” Tinubu said, addressing Governor Idris. He further characterized the Governor as “a brother, friend and committed leader,” adding that his sterling performance since assuming office came as no surprise.

The President’s itinerary was packed with commissioning ceremonies as he virtually and physically inaugurated multiple flagship projects that define Idris’s development agenda. The centrepiece of the visit was the new secretariat complex, a multi-billion-naira project originally initiated in 2012 but revived and completed under Idris’s administration. The decision to name the facility after President Tinubu was framed as a symbol of the state’s appreciation for federal support and the President’s national leadership.

In addition to the secretariat, Tinubu inaugurated the Birnin Kebbi Central Motor Park, a modern transport hub designed to enhance commercial activity and passenger experience, as well as the newly dualised three-lane carriageway along Emir Haruna Road and the dualised Old Argungu By-Pass. He also commissioned the Kauran Gwandu College of Nursing and Midwifery Sciences in Ambursa, a significant addition to the state’s healthcare education infrastructure.

Beyond the project inaugurations, President Tinubu took time to commend the people of Kebbi State for their sustained support and cooperation with his administration. He noted that such solidarity from the grassroots has been a critical factor in the achievements recorded under Governor Idris’s leadership.

Reaffirming the Federal Government’s commitment to collaborative governance, Tinubu pledged unwavering support to states in delivering democratic dividends, particularly in infrastructure, healthcare, and education. “We will continue to work together to bring more development to our people,” he assured.

The President’s one-day official visit coincided with a major cultural moment for the state: the grand finale of the 61st edition of the 2026 Argungu International Fishing and Cultural Festival. Tinubu attended as the Special Guest of Honour, blending governance with the celebration of a heritage event that draws visitors from across Nigeria and beyond.

The visit successfully married political solidarity with development diplomacy, as the President used the platform to both endorse Governor Idris’s performance and connect with the broader Kebbi electorate ahead of future political cycles.