The Department of State Services (DSS) has handed over Walida, a minor who was allegedly abducted and impregnated by DSS operative Ifeanyi Onyewuenyi, to Jigawa State Governor Umar Namadi.
Walida and her baby were given to the governor on Wednesday at the DSS headquarters in Abuja.
Governor Namadi was accompanied by several state officials, including Haruna Aliyu, speaker of the Jigawa State Assembly; Bello Abdulkadir Fanini, attorney-general; and Hajiya Hadiza Abdulwahab, commissioner for women affairs.
Representatives from civil society groups, such as the Nigerian Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs and the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), were also present.
Walida’s parents, however, were not at the handover, which lasted until about 10:40 pm.
Speaking at the DSS office, Namadi described Walida as “a daughter of the state” and said the government would take responsibility for her safety and recovery.
The governor added that she would remain in state custody in Abuja until the case is fully resolved.
Asked why her parents were not carried along, Namadi said “taking her into our custody does not automatically mean that she will be taken back to Jigawa”.
“Walida will be kept in Abuja for now. She will be provided with adequate security. Her case is a state matter and will be treated as such,” he added.
DSS Director-General Tosin Ajayi said Walida has been in DSS custody since her recovery from Onyewuenyi in January 2026.
He added that the officer involved is currently detained and will face justice if found guilty.
“It is unfortunate that people don’t learn from history in Nigeria. Our major concern is about the safety and the future of Walida,” Ajayi said.
“She is a young woman who has the right to live, and we have the responsibility to ensure she is safe while the matter is being investigated.
“I invited the governor, which is the right thing to do, and he has seen what we are doing. It is an inter-agency investigation, and we deliberately invited various groups to be part of what we are doing.”
Walida, who was 16 when she went missing in November 2023 in Hadejia, Jigawa State, had been the focus of multiple family search efforts.
Her disappearance reportedly caused severe psychological trauma to her mother, who later died.
The case took a turn on January 1, 2026, when Walida’s father, Abdulhadi Ibrahim, received a call from the DSS officer, who said his daughter was with him and had given birth.
The officer reportedly asked the father to come to Abuja, claiming he was “ready to marry her.”
Unable to travel, the father sent a representative, Muhammad Badamasi Ibrahim, to inquire about his daughter.
Reports suggest Walida was living with Onyewuenyi at a DSS facility in Karmajiji, Abuja, and was allegedly converted from Islam to Christianity.
Lawyers from Gamji Lawchain petitioned the DSS, the Inspector-General of Police, and the Office of the National Security Adviser, prompting the DSS to arrest Onyewuenyi over the allegations.
ALSO READ: Court Orders Arrest Of DSS Officer Over Alleged Abduction, Rape, Conversion Of Jigawa Muslim Girl
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