DSS Frees, Grants N300m Compensation To Persons Wrongfully Detained Over Boko Haram, IPOB Links
The Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Oluwatosin Adeola Ajayi, has ordered the immediate release of a man wrongfully linked to Boko Haram terrorists after an internal investigation review panel cleared him of all allegations.
Aside from ordering the release of Nura Idris, the DSS DG approved a N3 million compensation package to assist his immediate reintegration and also pledged to support the Kaduna-born herder in rebuilding his business.
Sources disclosed that over 30 wrongful DSS detention cases had so far been reviewed, with over N300 million paid in compensation.
According to sources, the compensation package was a practice that had become the hallmark of the current leadership.
In the case of Idris, a farmer and livestock rearer from Soba Local Government Area of Kaduna State, he was arrested by a sister security agency in Suleja, Niger State, in June 2024 over alleged terrorist links before being transferred to DSS custody.
However, a comprehensive review of his case found no evidence connecting him to terrorism, prompting the DG to order his release and compensation.
Receiving the compensation, Idris expressed gratitude to the DSS boss, saying the money would help him rebuild his life.
His father, Yusuf Idris, also thanked the DG for the gesture and assured that the support would be put to good use.
Sources disclosed that in such cases, the DSS also provides medical and psychological support to wrongfully detained persons before assisting them to restart businesses or other means of livelihood as part of their reintegration.
The release forms part of an internal review exercise initiated by the DSS last year to reassess inherited and prolonged detention cases, ensuring that innocent individuals are not held unjustly.
According to sources, the exercise reflected the agency’s commitment to balancing national security with respect for citizens’ rights and dignity.
The sources recalled similar interventions under the current DSS leadership, including the release of Sunday Ifedi, who was cleared of alleged links to the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) after being detained since November 2021.
He was released in December 2025 and awarded N10 million compensation.
Plans are also underway to rebuild a restaurant in memory of his late wife, Calista, who died while in detention, as part of efforts to support the family.
Other beneficiaries include Abuja-based businesswoman Chineze Ozoadibe, Kenneth Okechukwu Nwafor, five other detainees wrongfully linked to IPOB, and Ya’u Mohammed of Yobe State, all of whom were released after investigations established their innocence and were provided financial support to aid their reintegration.
