By Hassan Agboola
Human rights lawyer and legal practitioner, Hamza D. Dantani, has urged Nigeria’s security agencies to establish compensation policies for innocent citizens who are wrongly arrested, unlawfully detained or harmed during security operations, describing the Department of State Services’ (DSS) recent compensation initiative as a commendable example worthy of replication.
Dantani praised the Director-General of the DSS, Adeola Oluwatosin Ajayi, for the agency’s decision to compensate victims of wrongful arrests and operational mistakes, saying the move demonstrates that security institutions can uphold accountability without compromising their operational efficiency.
He noted that although security agencies are constitutionally empowered to protect lives and property, they also have both a legal and moral obligation to acknowledge errors and provide appropriate redress whenever innocent citizens suffer violations of their rights.
According to him, the fight against terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and other violent crimes must always be conducted within the bounds of justice, due process and respect for fundamental human rights.
“The DSS initiative has shown that institutions can acknowledge and correct their mistakes without undermining national security. Such accountability enhances public trust and reinforces the principle that no authority is above the law,” he said.
Dantani cited several publicly known beneficiaries of the compensation programme, including Kaduna-based farmer and herder Nura Idris, who received ₦3 million after being wrongly linked to Boko Haram. He also mentioned Umar Ibrahim, Alhaji Bello Rabiu and Jaja Sarki Bamo, who jointly received compensation after being mistakenly arrested over allegations of banditry and kidnapping, as well as Abuja businesswoman Chineze Ozoadibe, who was awarded ₦10 million following her wrongful arrest over alleged oil bunkering.
He further referred to the case of a Sokoto-based trader who was mistakenly shot during a 2016 security operation in Jos and later received ₦20 million, comprising court-awarded damages, an additional goodwill payment and lifetime healthcare. He also recalled that 11 artisans from Osun State, who were cleared of terrorism-related allegations, received compensation.
The legal practitioner said these cases represent only a small number of innocent Nigerians who may have suffered similar injustices without attracting public attention.
He observed that wrongful arrests and unlawful detention often leave victims with long-term consequences, including the loss of freedom, employment, businesses, reputation and psychological wellbeing, while their families also endure emotional and financial hardship.
Although financial compensation cannot erase the trauma or recover lost time, Dantani said it remains an important acknowledgement of wrongdoing and reflects the state’s willingness to accept responsibility.
He therefore called on the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigerian Army, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and other law enforcement bodies to institutionalise similar compensation mechanisms whenever investigations confirm that innocent citizens have been wrongly arrested, unlawfully detained or injured during official operations.
Dantani also advocated reforms aimed at strengthening operational procedures, including intelligence-led arrests, improved identity verification, greater investment in technology and forensic investigations, enhanced inter-agency intelligence sharing and continuous human rights training for security personnel.
He further called for strict compliance with constitutional safeguards, the establishment of independent internal review mechanisms to investigate complaints of wrongful arrest and unlawful detention, as well as sanctions against officers found guilty of negligence or abuse of power.
He stressed that arrest should never serve as punishment, just as detention should never replace proper investigation.
While commending the DSS Director-General for what he described as exemplary leadership, Dantani expressed optimism that the initiative would encourage other security agencies to embrace greater accountability, safeguard constitutional rights and ensure that innocent victims of operational errors receive justice and appropriate compensation.
He added that the true measure of any justice system lies not only in its ability to punish offenders but also in its commitment to protecting innocent citizens and correcting its mistakes whenever they occur.
