The Muslim Public Affairs Centre (MPAC), Nigeria, had expressed concern and outrage over the alleged abduction, defilement, and forced conversion of a 16-year-old Muslim girl, Walida Abdulhadi, to Christianity by one Ifeanyi Onyewuenyi, a staff of the Department of State Services (DSS), in Jigawa State.
“This tragic incident, which reportedly left a family broken and a mother dead from prolonged emotional distress after over two years of searching for her child, is not only a crime against a minor but a grave assault on human dignity, religious freedom, and the moral conscience of the nation,” MPAC said in a statement on Monday,.signed by its Executive Chairman, Disu Kamor.
MPAC added that “We recall that in 2016, when Yunusa Dahiru allegedly abducted and married Ese Oruru, the Nigerian media responded with unprecedented intensity. Major newspapers, activists, and commentators dominated the public space for months, rightly demanding justice and accountability. Over 70 pages of reports, editorials, and commentaries were published within a single month by Nigeria’s top newspapers – largely framed to indict Islam and Muslim leadership.
“Fast forward to 2026. A similar, if not more disturbing, case involving the abduction and forced conversion of a Muslim minor to Christianity has emerged. Yet, the silence is deafening. There is no #JusticeForWalida. No national outrage. No sustained media pressure. Despite the DSS confirming the arrest of the suspect and ongoing investigations, the case has been largely ignored by the same media and activists who once spoke with admirable urgency.”
The group said “This disturbing contrast raises fundamental questions about fairness, objectivity, and moral consistency. Justice must never be selective. Human rights must never be conditional. The life, dignity, and faith of a Muslim child from the North are no less valuable than those of any other Nigerian child.
“MPAC therefore calls on:
– All Nigerian media houses to give this case of abduction and forced conversion from Islam to Christianity the prominence it deserves.
– Human rights organizations and activists to rise above bias and defend the rights of Walida Abdulhadi with the same passion previously shown in similar cases.
– Relevant authorities to ensure a transparent, thorough investigation and prosecution of all those involved, without fear or favour.
“Nigeria cannot afford a justice system – or a media culture – where outrage is dictated by religion, ethnicity, or identity. True justice must be blind, principled, and unwavering.
“MPAC stands firmly with Walida Abdulhadi and all victims of abuse, abduction, and forced conversion. “We will continue to speak, advocate, and demand accountability until justice is served.”