Lawyers accuse DSS of contempt in Bauchi teenager’s detention case
A Jos-based law firm, Wholesome Attorneys, has petitioned the Department of State Services over the continued detention of 17-year-old Faith Barnabas despite a Federal High Court order for her release to her mother, Mrs Kumabe Zakari. The petition, dated July 9, 2026, urges the DSS to comply with the court’s July 6 judgment. Allegations include the teenager’s forceful conversion to Islam and her continued custody by the Bauchi State Orphans and Vulnerable Children Agency against court directives. The case has drawn condemnation from groups like the Youth Wing of the Christian Association of Nigeria and raised concerns about parental rights and judicial compliance.
What we know
- Wholesome Attorneys sent a petition to the DSS on July 9, 2026, demanding compliance with a Federal High Court judgment delivered on July 6 ordering the release of Faith Barnabas to her mother.
- The petition follows claims that Faith was forcibly converted to Islam and kept at the Bauchi State Orphans and Vulnerable Children Agency despite court orders.
- The Youth Wing of the Christian Association of Nigeria, in a statement on August 2, 2026, condemned the continued custody of Faith and called it an affront to the rule of law.
- The lawyers allege that Sadiq Ahmed Hussaini abducted Faith on April 30 after an alleged conversion in April 2026, and that he was allowed access to her while her family was denied.
- The case has prompted calls for contempt proceedings against officials and the nullification of documents related to the alleged conversion, highlighting broader issues of children’s rights and judicial compliance.
