Family Raises Alarm Over Continued Detention Of ‘Abducted’ Jigawa Girl

The family of Walida, a young girl allegedly abducted in Jigawa State two years ago, has raised concern over her continued detention by the Department of State Services (DSS), despite a court order directing her release and reunion with her parents.

Daily Trust had reported that a magistrate’s court in Jigawa State issued an arrest warrant for Ifeanyi Onyewuenyi, a DSS official accused of abducting Walida Abdulhadi in Hadejia Local Government Area of the state, forcing her to convert her religion, and fathering a child with her.

According to the prosecution, the victim was subjected to forced conversion from Islam to Christianity and endured a series of sexual assaults that resulted in pregnancy and the subsequent birth of a child.

The application also sought a formal investigation into the alleged offences by the Jigawa State Police Command, citing Sections 125 and 102(5) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law (ACJL).

The magistrate, Sadisu Musa, granted the application and directed the police to apprehend the suspect and conduct a “discreet and thorough investigation.”

The court further ordered the DSS to immediately release the victim and reunite her with her family.

Speaking to Daily Trust on Sunday, Walida’s father, Abdulhadi Ibrahim, said his daughter had not been released as ordered by the court.

He said officials of the DSS asked the family to appear in Abuja on Monday for a hearing, adding that they remain hopeful and prayerful for her safe return.

“We are still praying and hoping that justice will be done,” Ibrahim said.

Also speaking, the family’s counsel, Kabiru Adamu, explained that the matter was filed before a court in Hadejia, which subsequently ordered relevant security agencies to investigate the allegations and ensure the reunion of the victim with her family.

According to him, the court specifically directed that the suspect be apprehended and handed over to the Nigeria Police Force for discreet investigation, stressing that the DSS should not investigate one of its own personnel to avoid conflict of interest.

“The court order was very clear. The suspect should be apprehended and handed over to the police for proper investigation, and the victim should be reunited with her family,” Adamu said.

He disclosed that although the DSS had informed the public that a suspect had been apprehended, the individual had not been handed over to the police as directed.

Following what he described as delays, Adamu said his legal team wrote a formal letter to the Commissioner of Police in Jigawa State on January 13, 2026, requesting full compliance with the court order.

He said the police responded two days later, stating that they were awaiting the DSS to hand over the suspect before commencing an investigation.

“The police expressed readiness to conduct a diligent and lawful investigation once the suspect is handed over,” he said.

However, the lawyer lamented that there had been no official communication on the reunification of Walida with her family, describing the situation as “disturbing and unacceptable,” given that the court order reportedly mandated her release weeks ago.

He warned that failure to comply with the court order could compel the family to initiate contempt proceedings against the Director-General of the DSS and other concerned officials.

“We are calling on the DSS to respect the rule of law and comply fully with the court order. If this continues, we will have no option but to seek legal redress,” Adamu said. (Daily trust)