A Federal High Court in Dutse, the Jigawa State capital, has adjourned hearing in a suit seeking the unconditional release of Walida Abdulhadi and her reunion with her family until March 26, 2026.
Walida was reportedly abducted from Hadejia Local Government Area and allegedly sexually assaulted by Ifeanyi Onyewuenyi, who is said to be an operative of the Department of State Services (DSS).
The presiding judge, Justice Hassan Dikko, granted the adjournment following a request by counsel to the defence, Abdulmalik Sani, who asked the court for more time to file a counter-affidavit in response to the application submitted by the plaintiff.
During the proceedings, counsel to the plaintiff, Kabir Adamu, told the court that he was ready to proceed with the case and move the application seeking the immediate release of the victim and her reunification with her family.
The plaintiff is also asking the court to direct the DSS to transfer the suspect, Ifeanyi Onyewuenyi, to the Jigawa State Commissioner of Police for further investigation.
After hearing submissions from both parties, Justice Dikko adjourned the case to March 26, 2026, to hear preliminary objections and other pending applications.
Speaking with journalists after the court session, Adamu said the legal action was initiated to seek justice for the victim.
He said the legal team is asking the court to ensure Walida’s unconditional release and reunion with her family, and to compel the DSS to hand over the suspect to the police for proper investigation.
Adamu further argued that the DSS should not be allowed to investigate the case because it is directly involved in the matter.
According to him, allowing the agency to conduct the investigation would amount to being “a judge in its own case”.
He added that the respondents asked the court for more time to organise their records and prepare their counter-affidavit.
