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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