KEY POINTS

• DSS release order signals accountability shift.
• Wrongful arrest review prompts new compensation.
• Detention reforms strengthen rule of law.

Nigeria’s domestic intelligence agency has again ordered the release and compensation of a detainee held for alleged links to the proscribed IPOB movement, marking the second high-profile review completed under its new leadership in one month.

The latest action stems from the DSS release order issued by Director General Oluwatosin Adeola Ajayi, who continues a sweeping reassessment of long-standing detention cases across the agency.

DSS release order triggers new review

In July 2022, Kenneth Okechukwu Nwafor from Abia State was detained on accusations of helping IPOB activities. After a new internal probe, high-ranking officials decided that he had been wrongfully accused and ordered his immediate release.

Nwafor also received N5 million in compensation, alongside approved medical support. Security officials say the decision reflects Ajayi’s push to correct inherited cases and enforce procedural standards across the service.

Furthermore, sources familiar with the review say teams were instructed to revisit all pending matters. They added that the directive stemmed from Ajayi’s resolve to align operational conduct with due process and legal compliance.

Leadership shift deepens DSS release order impact

Officials point to a series of similar actions. Three Abia men, earlier tagged as IPOB members, were recently released after fresh checks cleared them. Last month, the DSS compensated an Abuja trader N10 million following her wrongful arrest by another agency. Ajayi added another N10 million for five affected individuals.

More unusually, officials recall a 2016 incident in which a Jos businessman was shot during an operation. After a court awarded N10 million, the agency left the ruling unenforced until Ajayi became DG. He doubled the payment.

Insiders say the pattern shows a cultural shift. Ajayi reportedly acknowledges institutional errors and insists on corrective action when they occur. His approach has drawn quiet approval from human rights observers monitoring detention practices.

Officials insist the reviews will continue. They frame the effort as part of a broader accountability wave aiming to rebuild trust, reduce litigation, and reset internal standards.