A Federal High Court sitting in Dutse, Jigawa State, has directed the Department of State Services to immediately release a 16-year-old girl, Walida Abdulhadi, and surrender one of its operatives, Ifeanyi Onyewuenyi, to the police for investigation.
The teenager, a resident of Hadejia Local Government Area, was reportedly abducted in 2023 and allegedly abused by the DSS operative.
She is said to have given birth to a baby girl while in the custody of the suspect, a development that has sparked widespread concern within and beyond the state.
Justice Hassan Dikko, who delivered judgment on Tuesday, ordered the secret police to free the minor unconditionally and hand over the officer to the Jigawa State Police Command for a comprehensive probe.
The judge faulted the DSS for allegedly shielding its operative, describing the act as unacceptable.
He further nullified any internal investigation the agency claimed to have conducted, ruling that it lacked the legal authority to probe criminal allegations involving its personnel in such circumstances.
According to the court, only the police and the judiciary are empowered to handle cases of this nature under the law.
“The conduct of the DSS in concealing an officer accused of such a grave offence is condemnable,” the judge held, insisting that due process must be followed.
Reacting to the ruling, counsel to the victim’s family, Kabiru Adamu, praised the court’s decision, noting that it reaffirmed public confidence in the judiciary.
He urged the police to act promptly once the suspect is transferred to their custody, stressing the need for a transparent and speedy investigation.
Attempts to get a reaction from the DSS legal team after the judgment were unsuccessful.
The case had earlier been before a Magistrate Court in Hadejia, which ordered the release of the teenager and the transfer of the suspect to the police.
However, the DSS challenged the directive at the Federal High Court, seeking to halt its enforcement.