An officer of the Department of State Services (DSS), Mr Ifeanyi Onyewuenyi, has been arrested by the agency following allegations bordering on the abduction of a 16-year-old girl, Walida Abdulhadi, from Hadejia local government in Jigawa state.
The arrest followed a petition dated January 4, submitted to the DSS Director-General by an Abuja-based legal firm, Gamji Lawchain, on behalf of the girl’s father, Alhaji Abdulhadi Ibrahim.
According to the petition, the teenager was allegedly taken from the Hadejia area of Jigawa State when she was below the age of 18. The law firm stated that the girl was a minor at the time of her disappearance and, under Nigerian law, could not legally consent to any sexual relationship.
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The family was said to have searched for Walida for over two years without success.
The petition further claimed that the prolonged emotional distress experienced during the period had adverse effects on the health of the girl’s mother, who later passed away.
A new development reportedly emerged on January 1, when the officer allegedly contacted the girl’s father, informing him that Walida had been with him, had given birth to a child, and that he intended to marry her.
Due to age and ill health, the father reportedly sent a family representative to Abuja, where it was alleged that the girl had been residing within a DSS facility throughout the period she was missing. The family’s request for her release was also said to have been declined at the time.
The petition further alleged that while in custody, the girl was subjected to acts that resulted in pregnancy and childbirth while still a minor, and that she was converted from Islam to Christianity without parental consent.
Gamji Lawchain called for the immediate protection of the girl and her child, a thorough investigation into the matter, and disciplinary measures against any personnel found culpable.
Reacting to the petition, the DSS confirmed the arrest of the suspect in a statement issued on Friday by its Director of Public Relations and Strategic Communications, Dr Favour Dozie.
The statement clarified that while the name initially mentioned in reports did not correspond with DSS employment records, an active staff member, Mr Ifeanyi Onyewuenyi, had been taken into custody for investigation.
“The Department of State Services has taken note of allegations involving an officer suspected of abduction of a minor, defilement, and abuse of office. The officer has been arrested, and investigations are ongoing,” the statement said.
The DSS spokesperson stressed that the alleged acts were contrary to the agency’s regulations and code of conduct, adding that the outcome of the investigation would be made public upon
GISTSMATE MEDIA gathered that under Section 31 of the Child Rights Act (CRA) 2003, it is an offence to have sexual intercourse with a child, with consent expressly deemed irrelevant where the victim is under 18 years of age.
Similarly, Section 218 of the Criminal Code Act criminalises unlawful carnal knowledge of a girl under the age of 16, while Section 221 provides penalties for attempts to commit such offences.
The Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015 and other extant laws also empower authorities to investigate and prosecute any law enforcement officer who abuses official position or authority in the commission of criminal acts, without prejudice to internal disciplinary procedures.
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