Wednesday, February 4, 2026 - Despite a clear court order directing the Department of State Services (DSS) to immediately release Walida, a young girl from Hadejia in Jigawa State, to her parents, the security agency has allegedly failed to comply, her father has said.
Walida’s father, Malam Abdulhadi, said it has been two years
since his daughter was allegedly abducted by one Ifeanyi Festus, an incident he
described as having inflicted severe hardship on his family.
Speaking with journalists from Premier Radio Kano, who
visited the family home in Hadejia, Malam Abdulhadi expressed deep frustration
over what he described as the DSS’s continued disregard for the court’s
directive.
“My heart is constantly troubled. My only wish is that my
daughter should be released and handed over to me. Whenever I go there, I am
not allowed to see her,” he said.
He further claimed that the trauma surrounding his
daughter’s disappearance contributed to the death of her mother.
“The pain of my daughter’s abduction led to her mother’s
death. Everyone in the family is living in fear and anxiety,” he added.
Malam Abdulhadi also alleged that his daughter’s religion
was changed without the consent of her family.
“They have changed her religion and converted her to
Christianity. What further investigation are they carrying out when a court has
already ordered that my daughter be returned to me?” he asked.
Confirming the legal position, the family’s lawyer,
Barrister Kabiru Adamu, said the court had unequivocally ordered the DSS to
hand over the girl to her biological parents, but the agency had allegedly
refused to comply.
“We will continue to pursue this matter to its logical
conclusion. The court ordered that the child be released to her parents. We
have written to them, met with them, and clearly stated that all we want is the
child, but they insisted they would not release her,” the lawyer said.
Malam Abdulhadi said he felt powerless in the face of the
situation, noting that he lacked the influence to challenge the authorities
beyond relying on the courts and public attention.
“I have no power. All I can do is wait and hope that justice will be done,” he
said.
Court documents show that an application filed before the
magistrate’s court sought a formal investigation into the alleged offences by
the Jigawa State Police Command, citing Sections 125 and 102(5) of the
Administration of Criminal Justice Law (ACJL).
The magistrate, Sadisu Musa, granted the application and
directed 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, an order which, according to the
family, has yet to be complied with.
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