DSS Returns Missing Jigawa Teenager to State Government

The Department of State Services (DSS) officially handed over Walida Ibrahim, a 16-year-old from Jigawa State, to the state government on February 26, 2026. Her disappearance in November 2023 sparked significant controversy, leading to a joint investigation involving various civil society organizations, including FIDA and the Arewa Youth Assembly.

Governor Umar Namadi confirmed the handover, which occurred at 5:45 PM. Walida had reportedly been missing for two years before resurfacing and recounting her experiences, which included being taken by a woman named Mariam and later encountering Ifeanyi Onyewuenyi in Abuja.

She gave birth to a daughter named Onyechi in November 2025. Throughout her ordeal, Walida denied being abducted or forcibly converted to Christianity, insisting her relationship with Ifeanyi was consensual.

The DSS took her into custody following her family's legal actions, and the case has drawn considerable public and media attention.