The State Security Service (SSS) has detained its officer who was accused of abducting a teenage girl in Jigawa State.
PREMIUM TIMES reported how a magistrate’s court in Jigawa State issued an arrest warrant for Ifeanyi Onyewuenyi.
Mr 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 Mr 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 SSS to immediately release the victim and reunite her with her family.
SSS responds
The SSS 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 SSS stated in a statement.
Background
The case reportedly began when Walida was 16. Her father informed local news outlet Falcon Times Hausa that the family spent years searching for her, eventually presuming she had died.
The trauma of her disappearance reportedly led to the untimely death of her mother.
The victim was recently discovered at Mr Onyewuenyi’s residence in Abuja.
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Another lawyer involved in the case, identified as Barrister Hussaini, alleged that after years of unlawfully holding her, the suspect converted Walida to Christianity, and the suspect is now purportedly seeking the father’s consent to marry her.
Mr Hussaini has petitioned President Bola Tinubu and the SSS to ensure the case is handled with transparency and that justice is served.
