By: Ahmed Rufa’i
The Department of State Services (DSS) has taken into custody one of its operatives, Mr. Ifeanyi Onyewuenyi, for the alleged kidnapping and rape of a 16-year-old girl from Hadejia local government area in Jigawa State.
The DSS confirmed the arrest of the operative in a statement issued by its Director of Public Relations and Strategic Communications, Dr. Favour Dozie.
The agency clarified that although the name initially cited in some reports did not immediately align with its employment records, an active staff member, Mr. Ifeanyi Onyewuenyi, was subsequently identified and placed under investigation.
“The Department of State Services has taken note of allegations involving an officer suspected of the abduction of a minor, defilement and abuse of office. The officer has been arrested, and investigations are ongoing,” the statement said.
The DSS spokesperson added that the allegations were inconsistent with the agency’s regulations and code of conduct, assuring that the findings of the investigation would be made public at its conclusion.
Our reporter in the state gathered that the arrest of the officer followed a petition dated January 4 submitted to the Director-General of the DSS by an Abuja-based law firm, Gamji Lawchain, acting on behalf of the girl’s father, Alhaji Abdulhadi Ibrahim.
In the petition, the law firm alleged that the teenager, identified as Walida Abdulhadi from Hadejia Local Government Area of Jigawa State, was taken away while she was still a minor and remained missing for more than two years. The petition noted that, under Nigerian law, a person below the age of 18 is deemed incapable of giving legal consent to sexual relations.
The family was said to have made repeated efforts to locate the girl during the period without success. The petition further claimed that the emotional strain associated with her prolonged absence negatively affected the health of her mother, who reportedly died while the search was ongoing.
According to the petition, a fresh development occurred on January 1, when the DSS operative allegedly contacted the girl’s father to inform him that Walida had been with him in Abuja, had given birth to a child, and that he intended to marry her.
It was further alleged that due to age and ill health, the father sent a family representative to Abuja, where the girl was said to have been residing within a DSS facility during the period she was missing. The family reportedly sought her release at the time but was unsuccessful.
The petition also alleged that while in custody, circumstances arose that led to the girl becoming pregnant and giving birth while still a minor, as well as a change of religion without the consent of her parents.
Gamji Lawchain urged the DSS to ensure the protection of the girl and her child, conduct a comprehensive investigation into the allegations, and take appropriate disciplinary action against any personnel found to have acted contrary to the law and service rules.
Checks show that Nigeria’s legal framework prohibits sexual relations with minors. Section 31 of the Child Rights Act (CRA) 2003 criminalises sexual intercourse with a child, with consent deemed legally irrelevant where the victim is under 18 years. Similarly, Sections 218 and 221 of the Criminal Code Act address unlawful carnal knowledge of a girl under the age of 16 and attempts to commit such offences.
The Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015 and other extant laws also provide for the investigation and prosecution of any law enforcement officer alleged to have abused official position in the commission of criminal acts, without prejudice to internal disciplinary measures.
