A serving officer of Nigeria’s secret police has been arrested following allegations that he abducted, impregnated, and forcibly converted a teenage girl in Abuja from Islam to Christianity, while also seeking to marry her without her family’s consent.
The officer, attached to the Department of State Services (DSS), is accused of keeping the girl at a facility in Karmajiji, a community on the outskirts of the Federal Capital Territory.
According to the girl’s father, the officer had earlier contacted him and asked him to “come to Abuja for discussions,” adding that he was “ready to marry her.” The father, who could not travel to the capital, appointed a representative, Muhammad Badamasi Ibrahim, to trace his daughter and ascertain her condition.
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Ibrahim later claimed the teenager was living with the DSS officer inside a DSS facility in Karmajiji. The claim triggered concern within the family, who insisted the girl had been taken away without their approval.
The family also alleged that the officer had converted the girl from Islam to Christianity during the period she was in his custody. The circumstances surrounding the alleged conversion remain unclear, and there has been no public confirmation from the DSS regarding that specific claim.
The matter escalated when lawyers from Gamji Lawchain filed a formal petition addressed to the DSS leadership, the Nigeria Police Force, and the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).
In the petition, the lawyers requested an urgent investigation into the girl’s whereabouts, the legality of her stay at the DSS facility, and the conduct of the officer involved. They also demanded that the teenager be released to her family pending the outcome of any inquiry.
Following the submission of the petition, the DSS arrested the officer over the allegations. Sources familiar with the development said the arrest was carried out internally as part of a preliminary investigation. It is not yet clear whether the officer has been suspended or formally charged.
The DSS has not issued a detailed public statement on the case. However, officials confirmed that the agency is reviewing the allegations in line with its internal disciplinary procedures.
The case has raised questions about the use of official facilities, the boundaries of personal relationships involving security personnel, and the rights of minors. Legal experts say that if the allegations are proven, the officer could face charges ranging from unlawful detention to misconduct and possible violations of child protection laws.
Community leaders in Karmajiji declined to comment directly but said the development has unsettled residents.
For now, attention is focused on the outcome of the investigation. The girl’s family is demanding her safe return and a full account of how she came to be living at a DSS facility. The authorities have promised to look into the matter.
