The family of Walida Abdulhadi, a young girl allegedly abducted from Hadejia Local Government Area in Jigawa State two years ago, has expressed deep concern over her continued detention by the Department of State Services (DSS), despite a magistrate court order mandating her immediate release and reunion with her parents.
A magistrate’s court in Hadejia, presided over by Magistrate Sadisu Musa, had issued an arrest warrant for Ifeanyi Onyewuenyi (also referred to as Ifeanyi Festus in some reports), a DSS official accused of abducting Walida Abdulhadi, forcing her conversion from Islam to Christianity, and subjecting her to sexual assaults that resulted in pregnancy and the birth of a child.
Truth Live News learnt that the court directed the Jigawa State Police Command to apprehend the suspect and conduct a “discreet and thorough investigation” into the alleged offences, citing Sections 125 and 102(5) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law (ACJL). It 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, confirmed that 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.
The family’s counsel, Kabiru Adamu, explained that the matter was filed before the court in Hadejia, which 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 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.
