Jigawa Women Laud DSS Over Handling of Walida’s Case

Hundreds of women in Dutse, the Jigawa State capital, on Thursday staged a solidarity march in support of the Department of State Services (DSS) over what they described as the agency’s impressive handling of the case involving a Jigawa-born woman, Walida Abdulhadi.
The women, drawn from several groups, converged at the Maiqwarya Roundabout and marched through major streets of the town chanting songs in support of Walida and the DSS before terminating at the Government House in Dutse.
The march was led by a trio of activists — Aisha Shamshudeen, Balaraba Aliyu and Salma Abdullahi — who carried banners and placards expressing confidence in the DSS.
Some of the placards read: “Thank You DSS for Standing by Walida,” “We Are Happy the DSS Refused to Politicise Walida’s Plight,” and “Walida Has Become a Test Case for Gender Rights.”
At the Government House, the women were received by the Permanent Secretary, Audu Garba Dutse. Leaders of the coalition took turns addressing the gathering, commending the DSS for what they described as professionalism and transparency in handling the case.
One of the speakers, Ms. Abdullahi, recounted how she once reported a suspected rape case to the Jigawa DSS Command, noting that the matter was diligently handled.
She said the experience gave her confidence that the secret police would treat the Walida case with the same level of professionalism.
“I was therefore not surprised when the Director-General of the DSS co-opted relevant stakeholders to help unravel what happened to Walida and how best to support other young women facing similar ordeals,” she said.
She also commended the Jigawa State Government for its intervention in the matter.
Meanwhile, residents of Hadejia also staged a peaceful demonstration on Wednesday at the Sambajo Roundabout, expressing support for the DSS and the state government’s handling of the case.
Speaking on behalf of the Hadejia Advocacy Movement, Abubakar Babangida praised Governor Umar Namadi for what he described as genuine efforts to resolve the issue.
He said the diligence of investigators led to the confirmation by the National Population Commission (NPC) that Walida is 22 years old.
Babangida urged the public not to politicise the matter, stressing that attention should be focused on helping Walida recover from her ordeal.
“The focus should be on healing her mind and body, not inciting public disorder, as the matter is already being handled by the appropriate authorities,” he said.
He also commended the DSS for what he described as transparency in the investigation process and its engagement with relevant stakeholders.
“The case is now before the court. It is a test case, and it will be interesting to see the outcome. The Jigawa State Government has done well by taking responsibility for Walida,” he added.
The DSS had on February 26 formally handed Walida over to the Jigawa State Government following weeks of expanded investigations into her disappearance.
The Director-General of the DSS, Tosin Ajayi, assured that the welfare of Walida and her baby would remain a top priority, adding that the same diligence and transparency shown during the investigation would continue throughout the judicial process.
Representatives of the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs, the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, and civil society groups including the Arewa Youth Assembly (AYA) and the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) were present during the handover.