The Department of State Services (DSS) has arrested one of its personnel, Ifeanyi Onyewuenyi, over allegations of abducting and defiling a 16-year-old girl (name withheld) in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

The DSS also alleged that the suspect unlawfully converted the victim to Christianity.

The Director of Public Relations and Strategic Communications of the DSS, Favour Dozie, confirmed the arrest in a statement issued in Maiduguri, Borno State.

“Our attention has been drawn to reports alleging the involvement of a staff member of the DSS, one Ifeanyi Festus, in a case of abduction, sexual abuse of a minor and abuse of office, among other offences,” Dozie said.

According to her, investigations are ongoing into allegations of the forceful conversion and marriage of the victim.

“It is hereby confirmed that an active staff member, Ifeanyi Onyewuenyi, who is suspected to have forcefully converted and married the victim, has been arrested and is currently under investigation,” the statement said.

The DSS spokesperson noted that the alleged actions contravened the agency’s regulations and code of conduct, adding that the findings of the investigation would be made public.

Reports said the arrest followed a petition dated January 4, 2026, written by an Abuja-based law firm, Gamji Lawchain, and addressed to the DSS Director-General on behalf of the girl’s father, Alhaji Abdulhadi Ibrahim, and his family.

The law firm alleged in the petition that the officer abducted the teenager from the Hadejah area of Jigawa State when she was 16 years old.

The petition read in part: “The anxiety, fear and emotional devastation of losing their underage daughter slowly destroyed the mother, who eventually died as a direct consequence of the psychological trauma.”

The law firm argued that, as the victim was a minor at the time of her disappearance, Nigerian law considers her legally incapable of giving consent to any sexual relationship.