The Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) has petitioned the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and the Nigeria Police Force over the alleged abduction, unlawful detention, and exploitation of 16-year-old Walida Abdulhadi by an operative of the Department of State Services (DSS).
Addressing journalists at a press conference on Tuesday in Dutse Jigawa state, the organization expressed deep concern over the disappearance of Walida from Hadejia, Jigawa State, in November 2023, noting that she had been missing for nearly two years.
“The girl’s family conducted extensive searches and reported the case to relevant authorities, but no information about her whereabouts emerged for several months,” CITAD stated.
The group lamented that the ordeal had taken a heavy toll on the family, revealing that, “The prolonged uncertainty placed significant emotional and psychological pressure on the family; Walida’s mother died without knowing what had happened to her daughter.”
According to the organization, a breakthrough occurred on January 1, 2026, when the victim’s father received a startling phone call.
“Walida’s father allegedly received a telephone call from a man who identified himself as Ifeanyi Onyewuenyi, claiming to be an operative of the Department of State Services. During the conversation, the caller allegedly said Walida was in his custody, that she had given birth to his child, and that he intended to marry her,” the group alleged.
Further investigations by the group suggested that the minor might have been kept within a security installation.
CITAD noted, “Subsequent reports suggested that the girl might have been held at a DSS facility in Karmajiji, Abuja, raising serious concerns about possible abuse of power and violations of the law. If these allegations are confirmed, they could constitute offences including abduction, unlawful detention, sexual exploitation of a minor, and abuse of public office.”
According to Comrade Sani Saidu the organization, which has been tackling Gender-Based Violence (GBV) through its Male Feminist Network (MFN) project supported by the Ford Foundation, insisted that the law must not be selective.
“The situation raises questions about equity before the law. In a previous case, a man identified as Yunusa Yellow was reportedly sentenced to prison for a similar offence involving a minor. Justice must be applied uniformly regardless of a suspect’s status or position in society,” the group argued.
Demanding immediate action, CITAD called for the “immediate reunification of Walida with her family” and a “thorough and transparent investigation into the circumstances surrounding her disappearance.”
“We call for a full inquiry into how a minor could allegedly be held within a federal security facility without detection. We urge the Nigeria Police Force, the DSS, the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs, and the NHRC to act swiftly to ensure justice for Walida Abdulhadi, stressing that no individual or institution should be above the law,” the statement concluded.
