DSS frees detainees accused of having ties with IPOB
No fewer than three detainees arrested on the suspicion of belonging to the outlawed Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) and its militant wing, Eastern Security Network (ESN), have been released from custody of the Department of State Services. The trio, who were arrested by the secret police operatives some months ago following the killing of […]
No fewer than three detainees arrested on the suspicion of belonging to the outlawed Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) and its militant wing, Eastern Security Network (ESN), have been released from custody of the Department of State Services.
The trio, who were arrested by the secret police operatives some months ago following the killing of seven cattle herders, were released Tuesday night after the conclusion of review of their case files.
This is just as the Director-General of the agency, Oluwatosin Ajayi, ordered immediate review of not less than 20 other case files of some detainees in its custody as a key part of the reforms initiated by the DSS’ boss.
Daily Trust reports that the freed detainees identified as Augustine Udemba, Nelson Onyedikachi Udemba, and Ifesinachi Eze were reunited with members of their family on Wednesday.
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Confirming their release to journalists in Abuja, an activist and human rights lawyer, Deji Adeyanju, said the steps being taken by the DSS to release those wrongfully arrested and detained, will rebrand the image of the agency.
According to him, the ongoing reforms by the new DSS boss to reposition the service, including reviewing the cases of those in custody, charging to court where required and releasing those wrongfully detained, will make it a rule of law- compliant.
“We are currently working on more than 20 cases with the service and thank the DG of the DSS for his commitment to ensuring the right thing is done.
“We are aware that there are hundreds of Nigerians with similar issues, and we are further appealing to the DG for a speedy process in the ongoing reforms,” the lawyer appealed.
When Daily Trust approached one of the secret agency’s operatives to find out whether compensation would be paid to those wrongfully detained, the sources he wouldn’t know but the DSS’ may consider that.
The official said, “Going by the DG’s habit of paying compensation to wrongfully detained persons, it was most likely the trio would be compensated.
“Just last week, the DSS DG directed that a businessman who owns a quarry on the Abuja-Kaduna expressway arrested by the Service since 2022 on the suspicion of kidnapping, be released and paid N10 million as compensation.
“It was reported that he might get more from the DG. Another outstanding case was that of the payment of N20 million compensation to a Jos-based businessman who was mistakenly shot in the leg by DSS operatives in 2016.
“Even after it was established by the DSS that the man was shot in error, and a court awarded the victim N10 million as damages, two DSS bosses refused to pay the victim. Instead, they appealed the judgement.
“In May, the new DSS boss did not only pay the businessman the N10 million awarded by the court, he added another N10 million and free lifetime medical services for the victim.
“The DG has promised to speedily review the case of wrongfully detained persons in the DSS custody brought to his notice, saying he wouldn’t mind the source of the information so long as it yields results.”