‘How 1 traced my missing daughter to Abuja 2yrs after’

A 45-year-old farmer in Hadejia, Jigawa State, Malam Abdulhadi Ibrahim, has recounted the painful two-year ordeal surrounding the alleged abduction of his teenage daughter, Walida Ibrahim, whom he said was taken away by a staff member of the Department of State Services (DSS).

Daily Trust had reported how a magistrate’s court in Jigawa State issued an arrest warrant for Ifeanyi Onyewuenyi, a DSS official.

Onyewuenyi was accused of abducting Walida Abdulhadi in the Hadejia Local Government Area of the state, forcing her religious conversion, 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.

Representing the applicant, counsel Kabiru Adamu moved a motion requesting the court to compel the arrest of Onyewuenyi.

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

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

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

Speaking in an interview with Daily Trust on Sunday, Abdulhadi said Walida was just 16 years old when she disappeared from their home while he was away on his farm.

“On the day she went missing, I had gone to my farm. When I returned, I asked about Walida, but nobody could tell me where she was. We searched everywhere in Hadejia, but we could not find her,” he said.

According to him, the matter was initially not reported to the police following advice from family elders. He explained that when he suggested reporting the case, his daughter’s grandfather urged caution.

“I asked her grandfather to help report the case to the police, but he told me to leave everything to prayer. He said we could not accuse anyone of abducting her and advised me to keep praying, hoping God would reveal her whereabouts, even in a dream,” Abdulhadi said.

He explained that after two years and two months of fruitless searching and anguish, a breakthrough came unexpectedly.

“One evening after Ishai (night) prayers, I received a phone call. The man who called did not understand Hausa well, but a woman who spoke fluent Hausa took the phone and asked how long my daughter had been missing. When I told her two years and two months, she said, ‘Yes, Walida is your daughter, and she is with us in Abuja,’” he narrated.

Abdulhadi said the callers asked him to travel to Abuja, saying his daughter was to be married to one of their men.

“I was shocked. I asked how such a thing could happen. This is madness,” he said, adding that he told them he was in Hadejia and provided the phone number of his brother, who lives in Abuja.

Walida’s uncle, Muhammad Badamasi Ibrahim, who resides in Karmajiji along Airport Road, Abuja, confirmed the account, describing the development as devastating.

“On January 1, around 10am, my younger brothers called and told me Walida had been found in Abuja. I was completely shocked. For over two years, nobody had heard anything about her,” he said.

Muhammad said he later contacted the callers and was directed to a location around Kuchigoro, Airport Road, before being asked to proceed to where he described as DSS quarters.

“When I got there, I was told to ask for someone called Victor. I met a man sitting on a chair who told me the girl was with their colleague and that she would be married to him,” he said.

He said he strongly objected, citing religious reasons.

“Our religion, Islam, does not allow a Christian man to marry a Muslim woman. The girl disappeared when she was still a minor, and now they are talking about marriage,” he said.

According to Muhammad, efforts to secure Walida’s release were rebuffed.

“They told me they would not release her. They even said that if she returned home, they would kill her. I was afraid during the discussion,” he said, adding that he was told the matter would end in a settlement even if taken to court.

‘My daughter was impregnated, converted to Christianity’

Abdulhadi further said his daughter was converted to Christianity, impregnated, and later underwent a Caesarean Section (CS) to deliver a baby because she was not physically mature enough for childbirth.

“Her dialect has changed completely. I only recognised her voice because I am her father. She was impregnated, and the baby was delivered through CS. A woman named Gloria, said to be the sister of the man involved and a medical doctor, handled the delivery,” he said.

Abdulhadi said the prolonged trauma had taken a devastating toll on his family, revealing that Walida’s mother died two months ago, allegedly due to the pain and stress of her daughter’s disappearance.

“Her mother died with the pain of not knowing where her daughter was. This suffering has destroyed our family,” he said.

He said the matter is now being handled by lawyers from Jigawa State and that efforts have been made to formally report the case to the relevant authorities.

“We have gone to the DSS offices in Abuja several times. We have also taken the matter to court and made it public so that justice can be done,” Abdulhadi said.

DSS detains officer

Meanwhile, the Department of State Services (DSS) has detained its officer who was accused of abducting a teenage girl in Jigawa State.

The DSS Deputy Director of Public Relations and Strategic Communications, Favour Dozie, said the service has detained the suspect following the court order.

“The attention of the Department of State Services (DSS) has been drawn to reports alleging the involvement of a staff member of DSS, one Ifeanyi Festus, in a case of abduction, defilement of a minor and abuse of office, among other offences.

“For clarity, the Service has no record of above named in its employment.

“However, it is hereby confirmed that an active staff member, Ifeanyi Onyewuenyi, who is suspected of forcefully converting and marrying Walida Abdulhadi, has been arrested and is currently being investigated.

“It must be stressed that such acts are against our regulations and the laid-down code of conduct. As such, the outcome of the investigation will be made public, please,” the DSS said in a statement.

The case followed a petition by a group of lawyers under Gamji Lawchain, acting on behalf of Walida’s father, Abdulhadi Ibrahim.

The petition alleged that the officer had abducted Walida over two years ago, held her in unlawful detention, sexually exploited her, and forced her conversion from Islam to Christianity without parental consent. It also claimed she gave birth while underage.

It condemned the abuse of power and called for the immediate suspension, arrest, and prosecution of the suspect, along with an independent investigation of the DSS facility.

They urged authorities to ensure the victim’s protection, reunification with her family, and accountability for any DSS personnel found complicit.

NBA demands justice for victim’s family

The Dutse Branch of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) in Jigawa State, has demanded the swift trial of DSS operative, Ifeanyi Onyewuenyi, accused of abducting a minor, raping her for two years and forcefully converting her to Christianity.

In a statement on Saturday, the Chairman of the branch, Barr. G. H. Umaru said the DSS should comply with the subsisting Order of the Chief Magistrate Court, Hadejia, issued on January 7, 2026, for the immediate arrest and investigation of the suspect and the release of the girl to her family.

The NBA acknowledged the reported arrest of the suspect by the DSS and demanded “full and immediate compliance with the court order by all relevant law enforcement agencies”.

It also called for “swift, transparent, thorough, and impartial investigation to ascertain the culpability of the suspect and any other persons who may be complicit in this egregious case.” The NBA Dutse Branch said it would monitor developments in the matter closely and remain “committed to ensuring that justice is not only done but is seen to be done for Miss Walida Abdullahi and her family”. It urged all parties and the public to remain calm and law-abiding as the investigative and judicial processes take their course.

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