The Director General of the Department of State Services, Oluwatosin Adeola Ajayi, has ordered the immediate release of three men found to have been wrongly detained by the agency over their suspected involvement in banditry and kidnapping.
The trio of Umar Ibrahim, Alhaji Bello Rabiu, and Jaja Sarki Bamo, who were arrested in June this year, were ordered freed after the DSS reviewed their cases and found them to be innocent of the alleged crimes.
The DG also approved that N3 million be paid as compensation to the freed men found to have been detained in error.
Credible security sources disclosed that investigations failed to establish any link between the suspects and their alleged crimes.
The release of the three men and payment of compensation by the DSS is part of efforts by the DSS leadership to ensure that justice is served to victims of the agency’s past mistakes.
It will be recalled that many wrongly detained suspects have since been released by the new DSS leadership, while those found culpable are facing prosecution in various courts.
A top official with knowledge in security establishments said, “The DG DSS is an honourable man who acknowledges errors and rectifies them swiftly. He attempts to ensure due process is followed to ensure the right thing is done. This is why he has sustained efforts in reviewing cases under the agency’s jurisdiction.”
Another source described payment of compensation as an established practice under Ajayi’s leadership and expressed confidence in the agency.
Expressing gratitude to the DG DSS, the suspects revealed that they were humanely treated throughout their stay.
“We were properly fed, and we were not abused in any way. The officers ensured that our needs were met, and we cooperated throughout the investigation till we were finally released,” remarked Ibrahim, even as they prayed for God’s mercy on the DG.
It would be recalled that, as part of the agency’s proactive security measures amid raging security threats, it had, in June 2025, intercepted some suspects who had just returned from the 2025 Hajj exercise at the Tunde Idiagbon International Airport, Ilorin, Kwara State, on allegations of their involvement in kidnapping and banditry.
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