Residents of Hadejia Local Government Area in Jigawa State on Wednesday staged a peaceful protest, demanding justice for Walida Abdulhadi, who was allegedly abducted by an officer of the Department of State Services (DSS) identified as Ifeanyi.
The protesters, led by the Chairman of the Hadejia Ina Mafita Initiative, Dr. Hussaini Shehu, said the demonstration was organised to express their dissatisfaction over what they described as an alleged plan to release the suspect.
The protesters, including lawyers, women’s groups, and civil society organisations, marched to the palace of the Emir of Hadejia, where they submitted a formal petition.
Dr. Shehu stated that the group would remain resolute in ensuring that the alleged offender is brought to justice, stressing that no individual is above the law.
Responding on behalf of the Emir of Hadejia, Alhaji Dr. Adamu Abubakar Maje, CON, the Secretary of the Emirate Council, Abubakar Sulaiman, assured the community that the palace is committed to ensuring that appropriate action is taken on the matter.
Also speaking, Walida’s lawyer, Barrister Kabiru Adamu, vowed to intensify legal efforts to ensure that the DSS officer faces the consequences of his actions, noting that doing so would serve as a deterrent to others.
The lawyer further accused the Minister of Women Affairs and the DSS of distorting facts surrounding the case.
 He alleged that misleading reports circulated in some national newspapers and broadcast on the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) claimed that Walida was 22 years old at the time of the incident.
Barrister Adamu described the claim as inaccurate, maintaining that Walida was born in 2008, a year after her parents’ 2007 marriage. He insisted that she is currently 18 years old and that it is incorrect to state that she was 22 at the time of the alleged abduction.
