Human Rights: Lawyer urges security agencies to emulate DSS compensation policy
Human Rights: Lawyer urges security agencies to emulate DSS compensation policy
Human rights lawyer, Mr Hamza Dantani, urges security agencies nationwide to emulate the Department of State Services (DSS), by compensating innocent citizens wrongly arrested, detained, or injured during operations.
Dantani made the call in a statement titled “DSS Compensation Initiative Sets Standard for Security Agencies,” issued on Tuesday in Abuja.
He commended the Director-General of the DSS, Mr Oluwatosin Ajayi, for introducing the policy, describing it as a landmark step toward institutional accountability and the protection of fundamental human rights.
Dantani noted the human toll of operational errors, referencing the stories of several beneficiaries whose lives were upended by wrongful security actions before receiving redress.
He cited the case of Mr Nura Idris, a Kaduna-based farmer and herder, who was wrongly linked to Boko Haram activities but was later exonerated and paid N3 million in compensation.
The lawyer also mentioned the case of Mrs Chineze Ozoadibe, an Abuja-based businesswoman, who was awarded N10 million compensation after her wrongful arrest over alleged oil bunkering.
Another case he alluded to was that of a Sokoto trader who got N20 million compensation and lifetime medical care after being mistakenly shot in a 2016 security operation in Jos.
”Wrongful arrests and unlawful detention inflict severe financial losses, emotional trauma, and deep reputational damage on innocent victims.
”While financial compensation cannot completely erase such suffering, it remains a vital admission that injustice occurred and that the state is willing to accept responsibility,” Dantani said.
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He further referred to three other beneficiaries, Umar Ibrahim, Bello Rabiu, and Jaja Bamo, who shared a compensation package after being cleared of banditry and kidnapping allegations.
Dantani added that 11 artisans from Osun were similarly exonerated of terrorism-related allegations and compensated by the service.
The legal practitioner emphasised that national security priorities must align with constitutional rights.
”The fight against terrorism, banditry, and kidnapping is a national priority but the pursuit of security must never come at the expense of justice.
“National security and respect for fundamental human rights are complementary principles,” he stated.
Dantani urged the Nigeria Police Force, Nigerian Army, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, and National Drug Law Enforcement Agency to institutionalise similar frameworks.
He also solicited reforms to prevent operational errors, wrongful arrests, improved intelligence gathering, enhanced forensic investigations, thorough identity verification, continuous human rights training for personnel, and independent complaint review mechanisms.
”Arrest should never be treated as punishment, and detention should never become a substitute for proper investigation.
”The true test of any justice system lies not only in its ability to punish offenders, but in its willingness to protect the innocent and correct its mistakes,” Dantani added.
