The scandal around the alleged abduction by a Directorate of State Service, DSS, operative of a “22- year-old” Jigawa girl Walida Abdullahi Ibraim, is yet to abate.
Though in a high-wire alleged midnight resolution to what has become a national controversy, Jigawa State Governor, Malam Umar Namadi, said he had officially taken custody of Walida, the girl at the centre of the controversy whose disappearance and alleged custody by a security operative sparked a firestorm of judicial and religious debate.
The handover reportedly occured at the Department of State Services (DSS) Headquarters in Abuja last Wednesday night, following intense pressure from civil society coalitions and the Jigawa State government.
The Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Hamisu Mohammed Gumel, who spoke to journalists stated that all necessary documentation had been concluded, with final arrangements underway to complete her formal transfer to the state government.
“I can authoritatively confirm that the Jigawa State Government, under the leadership of Governor Umar Namadi, took custody of Walida Abdulhadi Ibrahim last night. Other necessary arrangements will be finalised today to ensure her full transfer into government care,” Gumel stated.
He further explained that the state government has made arrangements to admit Walida to a hospital for a comprehensive medical evaluation to ascertain her physical and psychological condition.
According to him, the government will also facilitate her return to school and assume full responsibility for her educational needs up to the tertiary level to ensure her successful reintegration into society.
“Arrangements are being made to admit her into a hospital and take full responsibility for her healthcare and mental well-being. The government will also ensure she resumes her education and completes it successfully,” he added.
Ethnic Undertones
On the issue of accountability, Gumel stressed that the state government would pursue justice to its logical conclusion.
“The government will not rest on its oars until those responsible for her abduction and subsequent assault are brought to justice. The Nigeria Police Force is also expected to take over the process of identifying and prosecuting the culprits to ensure justice is served,” he assured.
Walida was reportedly abducted in 2023 from Hadejia Local Government Area of Jigawa State and later found in the custody of a DSS operative, Ifeanyi Onyewuenyi. Allegations contained in petitions filed by her family claim that she was unlawfully detained, forced to change her religion, and subjected to sexual exploitation during her captivity.
Walida’s family alleged that Mr. Onyewuenyi abducted her from her native Jigawa State, transported her to Abuja, converted her to Christianity, and impregnated her while she was still a minor.
However, in a recent interview with Weekend Trust, Walida disputed her family’s claims.
She said she met Mr. Onyewuenyi in Abuja after being brought there by a woman identified as Mariam. She maintained that she was neither abducted nor forcibly converted to Christianity, insisting that she was already an adult when she relocated to the capital in 2023.
Dispute Over Walida’s age
Her family claims she was born in 2008 and was, therefore, a minor when the events began in 2023. Walida, however, said she was born in 2004 and was 19 years old, when she arrived in Abuja and met Mr. Onyewuenyi.
The matter escalated after Walida refused to return to her parents, alleging that her uncle threatened to kill her for becoming involved with a Christian man. She is currently in what the DSS describes as “protective custody.”
Her family, however, is demanding her release, citing a magistrate’s court order. They have also accused the DSS of bias and anti-Islamic conduct.
They have also together with many civil society organizations lambasted the Ministry of Women Development Affairs for saying the age of the girl is 22. The minister in charge of the Ministry, Aisha Ibrahim, said she had found out from the record of the National Population Commission that the girl is currently 22- year – old and, therefore, not a minor as claimed.
In response, the DSS said it is holding Walida and her baby for their safety, following her claim that her uncle issued death threats against her.
The abduction scandal has drawn the ire of civil society organizations, which have expressed support for the effort of Jigawa State governor Umar Namadi in securing the release of the girl into the state custody.
Many Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and women’s groups in Jigawa State have reacted to the scandal by demanding justice, advocating for the rule of law, and staging protests.
Key actions and stance of these CSOs involved gathering women from all 27 local government areas of Jigawa State and marching to the Government House in Dutse to show support for the investigation, calling for the protection of the legal process and urging that the case not be politicized.
Law clashes with Religion/Politics
Some women groups also staged protests at the Ministry of Women Development Affairs and the DSS office in Abuja denouncing what they called insincerity and disinformation from the ministry and the DSS. Various groups, including Muslim rights organizations and women lawyers, have pushed for a thorough investigation, condemning the actions of the suspected officer, one Ifeanyi
These women groups also called for a focus on the rehabilitation, education, and welfare of the victim and her child. These CSOs are urging that the matter be handled by the courts and relevant security agencies, rather than being exploited for political or religious gain.
The Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Hamisu Mohammed Gumel, who spoke to journalists stated that all necessary documentation had been concluded, with final arrangements underway to complete her formal transfer to the state government.
“The government will not rest on its oars until those responsible for her abduction and subsequent assault are brought to justice. The Nigeria Police Force is also expected to take over the process of identifying and prosecuting the culprits to ensure justice is served,” he assured.
Allegations contained in petitions filed by the girl’s family claim that she was unlawfully detained, forced to change her religion, and subjected to sexual exploitation during her captivity.
The lawyers representing the abducted girl have been accusing the DSS of a cover up. They noted that
after repeated efforts by her relatives to secure her release proved unsuccessful, a petition was reportedly submitted to the DSS headquarters in Abuja. The family subsequently approached a court in Jigawa State, which ordered her release to her parents. However, the DSS filed a counter-motion, stating that it was investigating the matter.
Alleged Cover Up
A coalition operating under the banner “Concerned Coalition for Walida Abdulhadi” addressed a press conference at the Women Development Centre in Abuja, describing the situation as a serious test of institutional accountability and respect for the rule of law. The coalition called for strict compliance with judicial directives and demanded an independent investigation into the allegations against the DSS operative.
It was gathered that lawyers from Gamji Lawchain, acting on behalf of Walida’s father, had filed a detailed petition alleging abduction, unlawful detention, sexual exploitation, and forced religious conversion without parental consent. The petition further claimed that Walida gave birth while in custody.
Her father also alleged that her mother passed away during the period of her disappearance, attributing her death to prolonged emotional trauma arising from uncertainty about her daughter’s fate.
Earlier last week, organisations including the Abuja chapter of the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), the Federation of Muslim Women’s Associations in Nigeria (FOMWAN), the Muslim Students’ Organisation of Nigeria (MSO), and Women in Da’awa held a joint press conference in Abuja, calling for her transfer to a neutral authority and a transparent investigation.
Speaking on behalf of the coalition, Ustaz Yunus Salahudeen said the matter transcends religious considerations and underscores broader issues of justice, constitutional order, and human rights.
The case has continued to generate widespread public reaction, drawing comparisons with the earlier case involving Ese Oruru in Bayelsa State, which similarly sparked national debate over abduction, religious conversion, and the rule of law.
Last week Wednesday the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) said it had begun an inquiry into allegations that a male operative of the State Security Service (SSS) abducted a minor from Jigawa State, brought her to Abuja, and impregnated her.
Her family, however, is demanding her release, citing a magistrate’s court order. They have also accused the DSS of bias and anti-Islamic conduct.
In response, the DSS said it is holding Walida and her baby for their safety, following her claim that her uncle issued death threats against her.
The Council’s Secretary-General, Ishaq Oloyede, confirmed that the body was already engaging relevant stakeholders to enable it take an informed position.
“We are already looking into the matter,” Professor Oloyede said.
He explained that the Council had exercised restraint for two reasons.
“One is that we do not want to behave like the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), which in 2015 instigated what many considered an unfair trial of a Muslim Kano man, Yunusa Dahiru, accused of abducting a Christian Bayelsa girl, Ese Oruru. CAN jumped into the matter without verifying the allegations. In the end, the Kano man went to jail but has continued to insist on his innocence.
“The second reason we have been careful is that the antecedents of the DSS Director-General do not portray him as a religious bigot. So, we must conduct a thorough investigation to determine the facts.
“But I can assure you we are working on it. Even today, we have meetings lined up over the same matter.”
Dayo Ajayi, a legal practitioner told Business Hallmark that “abduction is a serious criminal offence, but in this case a clear case of abduction has not been established. The girl’s testimony is that she was not abducted, only her parents are insisting on abduction. In law, the testimony of the girl overrides that of the parents.”
This legal position is supported by another legal practitioner, Godwin Iwena, who said. “The lawyer to the parents of the girl should have done their due diligence. Though they are calling for judicial process and that the DSS officer should be tried in Jigawa, the issue is that the girl made a testimony of non abduction of not under duress, so how they want to establish a case of abduction remains to be seen.