The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Dutse Branch, has renewed its demand for justice following the arrest of a Department of State Services (DSS) operative, Ifeanyi Onyewuenyi, over allegations of abducting and raping a 16-year-old girl, Miss Walida Abdullahi.
The arrest followed a court order issued on January 7, 2026, directing the police and the DSS to apprehend and investigate Onyewuenyi over a case that has reportedly dragged on for more than two years.
In a statement issued on Saturday, the NBA, through its Publicity Secretary, A.B. Umar, condemned the allegations, describing them as shocking, reprehensible, and a blatant abuse of power.
Umar called for a swift, transparent, and impartial investigation, stressing that anyone found culpable must be held fully accountable.
According to the association, Miss Abdullahi was declared missing at the age of 16, prompting her family to search for her for over two years.
The prolonged trauma, the NBA noted, allegedly led to the death of her mother.
The statement further alleged that Onyewuenyi contacted the victim’s father in January 2026, admitting that the girl had been in his custody and instructing him to travel to Abuja for what he described as a marriage ceremony.
During the period of her alleged unlawful detention, the girl reportedly gave birth to a child.
Umar described the development as a gross violation of the law and a grave abuse of office, noting that the allegations also include claims of forceful religious conversion and coerced marriage.
Confirming the arrest, the DSS, in a statement signed by its Deputy Director of Public Relations, Favour Dozie, said Onyewuenyi, an active staff member of the service, had been taken into custody for investigation.
The agency clarified that it had no record of an officer named Ifeanyi Festus but confirmed the arrest of Ifeanyi Onyewuenyi.
The DSS stressed that the alleged actions were in clear violation of its regulations and code of conduct, assuring the public that the outcome of the investigation would be made known.
The NBA said it would closely monitor the case to ensure that justice is not only done but seen to be done, urging relevant authorities to comply fully with the court’s directive.
The association also appealed to members of the public to remain calm as the judicial process runs its course.
