*SSS Operative Ifeanyi Still In Detention, Will Face The Music If Found Wanting” — DG Ajayi
![](https://thenigerialawyer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/TheNigerialawyer-WhatsApp-Channel1.jpg")
Governor Umar Namadi of Jigawa State on Tuesday night took custody of Walida Abdulhadi Ibrahim, the missing girl from Jigawa State who had been in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS), assuring that the issues relating to her abduction would be handled by the courts.
The handover ceremony, which lasted until around 10:40 pm, took place at the DSS headquarters in Abuja.
The governor said Walida is the daughter of Jigawa State and that the government will ensure her safety and full recovery from whatever trauma she might have passed through.
“Our concern is that Walida had been abducted,” he said, adding that the controversy will be tabled before a law court for adjudication.
“It is a state matter and will be treated as such,” he said.
Governor Namadi also said the baby girl delivered by Walida for Ifeanyi Onyewuenyi, a DSS operative, will also be under the custody of the Jigawa State government.
When asked why her parents were not carried along and whether she will be taken back to Jigawa, the governor 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 said.
On the issue of her age, the governor said the court will resolve the contention.
However, Walida’s parents were not present at the DSS headquarters during the handing over ceremony.
The governor was accompanied to the DSS headquarters by the Speaker of the Jigawa State House of Assembly, Haruna Aliyu; the Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, Barrister Bello Abdulkadir Fanini; the Commissioner of Women Affairs, Hajiya Hadiza Abdulwahab; and her counterpart in the Ministry of Environment, Dr Nura Ibrahim Doka, among others.
Speaking on why they kept Walida in their custody since her recovery from Ifeanyi in January 2026, the Director General of the DSS, Adeola Oluwatosin Ajayi, said it was about respecting what the law says.
“It is unfortunate that people don’t learn from history in Nigeria. Our major concern is about the safety and the future of Walida.
“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.
“We also invited the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) to ascertain her mental status,” he said.
The DG DSS also said Ifeanyi was still in the custody of the Service and will not be spared if found wanting.
“He will face the music when found wanting. We have rules guiding our operations,” he said.
Ajayi recalled that he was the State Director of the DSS in Bayelsa State when Ese Oruru was allegedly abducted.
He lamented that some unpatriotic Nigerians took advantage of the incident to whip up sentiments.
Ajayi said even though Walida has been handed over to the Jigawa State government, the DSS, police, Civil Defence, FIDA, and the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs would remain involved in her affairs.
“We have the capacity to investigate the matter,” he said.
The Nigerian Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) was represented at the handover by the Deputy National Legal Adviser, Barrister Haroun Muhammad, and a member of the Expanded General Purpose Committee, Alhaji Najib Jimoh.
Barrister Haroun Muhammad said the NSCIA got involved in the Walida affair in order to de-escalate tension.
“The matter is capable of throwing the country into chaos. It can deepen the unfortunate existing division between Muslims and Christians, and whatever happened here today will send the right or wrong signal to society,” he said.
Walida was allegedly abducted from Hadejia Local Government Area of Jigawa State by one Mariam, who later subjected her to sexual exploitation before she fled.
She later found herself in Abuja and thereafter moved in with Ifeanyi Onyewuenyi, an operative of the Department of State Services.
She gave birth to a baby girl in November 2025.
Walida went missing in 2023, and in December 2025, her father received a call from Ifeanyi, who informed him that she was with him.
After strenuous efforts by her relatives to recover her from Ifeanyi proved abortive, a petition was reportedly filed by her uncle at the DSS headquarters in Abuja, and thereafter, the family approached a court in Jigawa State.
The court directed that Walida should be released to her parents, but the DSS filed a counter-motion, insisting that they were investigating the matter.
The raging controversy revolved around Walida’s alleged abduction, conversion to Christianity and custody.
On Monday, a coalition comprising 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 addressed a world press conference in Abuja where they called for the transfer of Walida to a neutral ground.
Speaking on behalf of the Concerned Coalition for Walida Abdulhadi, Ustaz Yunus Salahudeen said the matter goes beyond religion and touches on broader issues of justice, constitutional order, and human rights.
He said Walida’s disappearance caused her family “unimaginable distress” for more than two years, adding that her father, overwhelmed by uncertainty, performed funeral rites believing his daughter was dead.
Officials of the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), other civil society organisations, and the media were present at the handover ceremony.
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE FOR LAWYERS: A COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE
Reimagine your practice with the power of AI “...this is the only Nigerian book I know of on the topic.” — Ohio Books Ltd
Authored by Ben Ijeoma Adigwe, Esq., ACIArb (UK), LL.M, Dip. in Artificial Intelligence, Director, Delta State Ministry of Justice, Asaba, Nigeria.
Bonus:
Get a FREE eBook titled “How to Use the AI in Legalpedia and Law Pavilion” with every purchase.
How to Order: 📞 Call, Text, or WhatsApp: 08034917063 | 07055285878 📧 Email: benadigwe1@gmail.com 🌐 Website: www.benadigwe.com
Ebook Version: Access directly online at: https://selar.com/prv626
________________________________________________________________________ The Law And Practice Of Redundancy In Nigeria: A Practitioner’s Guide, Authored By A Labour & Employment Law Expert Bimbo Atilola
_______________________________________________________________________
"You Don't Need To Be Rich, You Just Need To Start" — Victoria Ezeigwe, Esq Launches Investment Handbook For Nigerians Starting With ₦5,000
Get your copy today and take the first step toward financial growth:👉 https://selar.co/4f16676016
_______________________________________________________________________
