By Micah Jonah, February 24, 2026
A constitutional lawyer and human rights advocate, Hamza Nuhu Dantani Esq., has petitioned the Director General of the Department of State Services over what he described as grave violations of the rights of a minor identified as Walida from Jigawa State.
In a strongly worded letter addressed to the Director General at the DSS National Headquarters in Abuja, the lawyer alleged abduction, sexual abuse, unlawful custody and media exploitation involving the teenager, whose case has generated public concern.
Dantani, who said he is a member of the Citizens Liberty Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association, expressed alarm over what he termed an attempt to suppress the facts surrounding the matter.
According to the petition, Walida was allegedly abducted in 2023 while she was a Senior Secondary School II student. The lawyer stated that her father has consistently maintained that she was a minor at the time of the incident and remains under the age of 18.
He raised questions over a recent interview published by Daily Trust which was purportedly granted by the girl, arguing that the content appeared designed to shield a suspect from criminal liability.
The petition referenced a DSS operative identified as Ifeanyi as the prime suspect in the matter, alleging that the narrative presented in the media sought to portray the girl as 22 years old and to suggest that any relationship began after she attained adulthood.
Dantani argued that school records indicating she was in SS2 in 2023 suggest she would likely be between 13 and 15 at the time, raising concerns about possible statutory offences if sexual relations occurred before she turned 18.
The lawyer further cited reports that the girl gave birth to a child in 2025, a development he said strengthens the need for an independent and transparent investigation.
He questioned the legal basis upon which the DSS allegedly refused to release the minor to her parents and queried the authority under which a minor in custody was allowed to grant a media interview.
The petition also cited provisions of the Child Rights Act 2003, including sections relating to the best interest of the child, parental guidance, protection from abuse and protection from media exposure.
Dantani maintained that the DSS is not a legally recognized custodian of children, called for the immediate release of the girl to her parents or lawful guardians.
He demanded that the investigation be transferred to an independent authority and urged the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs as well as relevant child protection agencies to intervene.
The Jigawa State Government was also called upon to take urgent steps to safeguard the welfare of the minor and ensure justice is pursued.
Efforts to obtain official response from the DSS were ongoing as of the time of filing this report.
The case has continued to spark debate over child protection, institutional accountability and adherence to the rule of law.
