Fresh twist in DSS saga as Muslim girl who converted to Christianity counters abduction claims

Walida Abdulhadi has rejected allegations by her family that she was abducted and forcibly converted, insisting that her relocation to Abuja and subsequent relationship with an operative of the State Security Service (SSS) were voluntary.

It would be recalled that the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) said it has begun inquiry into allegations that a male operative of the State Security Service (SSS) abducted a minor from Jigawa State, brought her to Abuja, and impregnated her.

The controversy revolves around Walida Abdulhadi, a young Muslim woman from Jigawa, and an SSS operative identified as Ifeanyi Onyewuenyi. The matter has sparked widespread public debate over the nature of their relationship, the circumstances surrounding the birth of their baby, and Walida’s subsequent conversion to Christianity.

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Walida’s family has alleged that Mr Onyewuenyi abducted her from Jigawa, transported her to Abuja, converted her to Christianity, and impregnated her while she was still a minor.

However, in a recent interview with Weekend Trust, Walida said she met Ifeanyi Onyewuenyi in Abuja after being brought to the capital by a woman identified as Mariam. She maintained that she was neither abducted nor coerced into converting to Christianity, stressing that she had moved to Abuja of her own accord in 2023.

A major point of contention in the unfolding controversy is Walida’s age. Her family claims she was born in 2008, arguing that she was still a minor when the events in question began in 2023. Walida, however, has countered that she was born in 2004 and was 19 years old at the time she relocated to Abuja and met Mr Onyewuenyi.

The situation escalated after Walida reportedly declined to return to her parents, alleging that her uncle threatened to kill her over her relationship with a Christian man. She is currently in what the SSS describes as “protective custody.”

Her family has demanded her immediate release, citing a magistrate court order, and has accused the SSS of bias and anti-Islamic conduct in its handling of the matter.

In response, the SSS stated that it is holding Walida and her baby strictly for their safety, following her claim that her uncle issued death threats against her. The agency maintained that its actions are consistent with its statutory responsibility to protect lives and ensure security.

The Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), regarded as the apex Islamic authority in Nigeria, has formally intervened in the matter

When contacted on Wednesday, the Council’s Secretary-General, Ishaq Oloyede, confirmed that the body was engaging relevant stakeholders to enable it take an informed and balanced position.

“We are already looking into the matter,” Professor Oloyede said.

He explained that the Council had deliberately exercised caution for two reasons. First, he said it did not want to replicate what he described as the approach of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in 2015 during the case involving Yunusa Dahiru, a Muslim man from Kano accused of abducting a Christian girl from Bayelsa, Ese Oruru, noting that public interventions at the time were made before all facts were fully established.

Secondly, he stated that the antecedents of the SSS Director-General do not suggest religious bias, underscoring the need for a thorough and fact-based investigation before drawing conclusions.

Professor Oloyede assured that the NSCIA is actively working on the issue, adding that meetings have already been scheduled as part of efforts to determine the facts.

In a statement issued by the governor’s spokesperson, Hamisu Gumel, the state government said it had formally begun following up on the matter to ensure that all appropriate legal and administrative procedures are diligently observed.