On February 12, 2012, while Ghariri was driving to work, he was abducted and taken, with his car, to an unknown location. That same day, and prior to his abduction, he called his family for the last time while he was near the Mahmudiyah Camp, in the Babil governorate of Iraq. The next day, his family submitted a complaint regarding his abduction to Al Mahmoudiyah police station, but to no avail.

In late June 2012, his family enquired about his whereabouts at Abu Ghraib prison, Muthanna Airport Prison, and the 5th division of the intelligence. They also searched into the database of detainees in the Ministry of Interior, but they could not find any information regarding his fate or whereabouts.

In August 2012, Ghariri’s mobile device, which he was using when he was abducted, was switched on and then was switched off.

His family believes that he was abducted by the Iraqi security services. In 2019, a member of the Iraqi intelligence informed Ghariri’s family that he was detained at the Death Triangle Prison in south Baghdad. In return for more information and support in securing his release, the Iraqi intelligence agent demanded a large sum of money, a car and land property. The family, however, could not provide him with any of the above, and has not heard from him since.