Nigeria’s secret police, the Department of State Services (DSS), has released four men arrested over alleged links to the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), approving ?20 million in compensation after investigations cleared them of the allegations.
The four suspects, identified as Emele Uduma Ibe, Berefgagha Appah, Ondokeyilemi Aggry and Oyeinmokebebeton Aggry, were arrested in May 2022 in Sampou and Akeddei communities in Kolokuma/Opokuma and Sagbama Local Government Areas of Bayelsa State.
Each of the freed men is expected to receive ?5 million as compensation for their wrongful detention.
Security sources disclosed that investigations by the DSS established that the men had been misled into believing they would receive monthly payments of ?100,000 under the Federal Government’s Amnesty Programme.
They were allegedly lured by individuals linked to IPOB, who are now facing trial.
The release of the four suspects is part of a broader review of inherited terrorism-related cases initiated by the DSS Director-General, Oluwatosin Adeola Ajayi, shortly after assuming office in 2024.
According to security sources, Ajayi ordered a review of more than 300 inherited cases to identify individuals who might have been wrongly implicated or detained.
The exercise has reportedly reduced the number of detainees in DSS facilities to about 100, following investigations and the release of those found not to have committed the alleged offences.
The Service also disclosed that it had paid more than ?1 billion in compensation to individuals affected by operational mistakes and wrongful arrests.
Reacting to the release, Deji Adeyanju and Partners, counsel to the four men, commended the DSS for what it described as professionalism and commitment to human rights.
The lawyer particularly praised Ajayi for his efforts to ensure that the rights of suspects were respected while the Service continued its responsibility of protecting national security.
He also described the level of hygiene and professionalism within the DSS as the best he had witnessed in more than 20 years of interacting with its personnel.
The lawyer further maintained that President Bola Tinubu made the right decision in appointing Ajayi as the DSS Director-General.
Speaking on behalf of the freed men, Ibe described his release as the happiest day of his life.
He said the experience had taught him important lessons which he intended to share with others, while offering prayers for the DSS leadership.
A security source added that the four men would receive psychological and medical support in addition to the financial compensation.
The latest payment is not the first time the DSS has compensated individuals following investigations that established wrongful arrests or operational errors.
The report recalled that a Jos-based businessman who was mistakenly shot by DSS operatives in Plateau State received ?20 million in compensation, while his medical bills were also covered.
Similarly, Chineze Ozoadibe received ?10 million after being wrongfully arrested.
Sunday Ifedi was also paid ?10 million after investigations cleared him of alleged links to IPOB, while Kenneth Okechukwu Nwafor received ?5 million after being absolved of similar allegations.
The DSS Director-General recently acknowledged that security agencies, like other human institutions, could make mistakes.
However, he stressed that such mistakes must be acknowledged and addressed.
‘Where we admit our mistakes, we offer compensation and seek ways to improve operations in tandem with the rule of law,’ Ajayi was quoted as saying.
The latest development highlights the delicate balance between national security operations and the protection of citizens’ fundamental rights, particularly in cases involving terrorism-related investigations.