By Samuel Akpan
Nigeria’s Department of State Services (DSS) has freed a Kaduna State livestock farmer, who was wrongly accused of having links with Boko Haram insurgents, approving a N3 million compensation package to enable him to rebuild his life and business.
The decision followed a thorough review by an internal DSS investigation panel, which found no evidence whatsoever to back the allegations of terrorist collaboration.
Director General Oluwatosin Ajayi directed his immediate release and the compensation.
Expressing his gratitude, Nura Idris said, “I thank the DGSS for his kindness. I was well treated in DSS custody and I pray that Allah rewards the DGSS immensely.”
Idris’s father, Yusuf Idris, also commended the DSS leadership for its compassion and generosity, expressing confidence that the compensation would be put to good use in supporting the family.
The farmer and livestock rearer from Soba Local Government Area in Kaduna State had been arrested in Suleja, Niger State, in June 2024 by another security agency on suspicions of terrorist connections before being transferred to DSS custody for further investigation.
According to security sources, the DSS routinely provides psychological and medical support to persons wrongfully detained before helping them set up businesses of their choice as part of efforts to restore their dignity and livelihoods.
This release is part of an internal review exercise the agency began in 2025 to reassess inherited cases and ensure that no innocent person remains in prolonged detention without cause.
The sources highlighted that actions like these demonstrate the DSS’s commitment to institutional integrity and a humane approach, proving that the pursuit of national security can and must coexist with the protection of citizens’ rights and dignity.
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