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According to Hamza Nuhu Dantani, a constitutional lawyer, Walida was abducted in 2023 while she was a Senior Secondary School II (SS 2) student. Her father has consistently maintained that she is a minor, a claim that remains unchallenged by credible evidence.
Dantani criticizes a recent Daily Trust publication featuring an interview with Walida, alleging it was scripted to protect DSS operative Ifeanyi Onyewuenyi, the primary suspect in the case. The narrative misleadingly suggests Walida is 22 years old, which Dantani argues is legally incoherent since she would have been no older than 17 in 2025.
The petition further claims that Walida gave birth in 2025, allegedly fathered by the DSS operative, indicating sexual activity occurred while she was still a minor.
Dantani emphasizes that the DSS cannot claim neutrality when one of its operatives is the primary suspect. He calls for Walida’s immediate release to her parents and for the investigation to be handled by an independent authority.
Citing Nigeria’s adoption of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, the petition underscores the legal protections afforded to minors, including their right to privacy and protection from exploitation.
Dantani stresses the need for the intervention of relevant authorities to ensure Walida’s welfare and pursue justice, framing the case as a crucial test of Nigeria’s commitment to child protection and institutional accountability.
