Governor Umar Namadi of Jigawa State has taken custody of Walida Abdulhadi Ibrahim, the teenage girl who went missing from the state in 2023 and was later found in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS).

The handover took place late Wednesday night at the DSS headquarters in Abuja, where the governor led a high-powered Jigawa State delegation to receive Walida. He assured that all issues surrounding her abduction would be resolved through due legal process.

Governor Namadi described Walida as “a daughter of Jigawa State” and pledged that the government would guarantee her safety, wellbeing, and recovery from any trauma she may have suffered, stressing that justice would be pursued without prejudice.

He said Walida would remain under the custody of the Jigawa State government pending the determination of contentious issues relating to her alleged abduction, age, and custody by the courts.

The governor was accompanied by the Speaker of the Jigawa State House of Assembly, Haruna Aliyu; the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Barrister Bello Abdulkadir Fanini; the Commissioner for Women Affairs, Hajiya Hadiza Abdulwahab; and the Commissioner for Environment, Dr Nura Ibrahim Doka, among other senior officials.

Walida was formally handed over to the governor by the Director-General of the DSS, Adeola Oluwatosin Ajayi, in the presence of principal officers of the Service.

Also present were representatives of the Nigerian Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), officials of the International Federation of Women Lawyers, civil society organisations, and members of the media. Walida’s parents were, however, absent from the handover, which lasted until about 10:40 p.m.

Walida was allegedly abducted from Hadejia Local Government Area of Jigawa State by a woman identified as Mariam, who reportedly subjected her to sexual exploitation before she escaped. She later surfaced in Abuja, where she reportedly lived with a DSS operative, Ifeanyi Onyewuenyi.

She gave birth to a baby girl in November 2025. The case attracted national attention after an exclusive interview published by Weekend Trust on February 21, 2026, in which Walida recounted her ordeal.

According to the family, Walida disappeared in 2023, and in December 2025, her father received a call from Onyewuenyi, informing him that she was with him. Efforts by relatives to recover her reportedly failed, prompting her uncle to petition the DSS in Abuja and later approach a Jigawa State court.

The court ordered that Walida be released to her parents, but the DSS filed a counter-motion, citing ongoing investigations. The matter sparked widespread public concern, with several groups questioning her continued stay in DSS custody.

On Monday, a coalition including the Abuja chapters of Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), the Federation of Muslim Women’s Associations in Nigeria (FOMWAN), the Muslim Students’ Organisation of Nigeria (MSO), and Women in Da’awa called for Walida’s transfer to a neutral authority, warning that the case raised serious issues of justice, constitutional order, and human rights.

Addressing journalists after taking custody of Walida, Governor Namadi said both Walida and her baby would remain under state protection for now, adding that she would not immediately be returned to Jigawa.

“Taking her into our custody does not automatically mean she will be taken back to Jigawa. She will be kept in Abuja for now, with adequate security, while the courts resolve the matter,” he said.

Speaking earlier, DSS Director-General Ajayi said the Service’s actions were guided strictly by law and concern for Walida’s safety, noting that multiple agencies and professional bodies, including the Nigerian Medical Association, were involved in assessing her condition.

Ajayi disclosed that Onyewuenyi, the DSS operative at the centre of the controversy, remains in detention and will face disciplinary and legal consequences if found culpable.

“He will face the music if found wanting. We have rules guiding our operations,” the DSS chief said.

The NSCIA, through its Deputy National Legal Adviser, Barrister Haroun Muhammad, said the council intervened to prevent the matter from escalating into a wider religious or national crisis, warning that its handling could either deepen or heal existing societal divisions.

As investigations continue, all parties agreed that the courts would ultimately determine the facts of the case, with authorities insisting that law, justice, and the welfare of Walida and her child must prevail.