Lawyer asks security agencies to adopt compensation policy for victims of wrongful detention

Hamza Dantani, a legal practitioner, has called on security agencies to adopt a compensation policy for victims of wrongful arrest, detention and operational errors. 

In a statement issued on Tuesday, Dantani said security agencies have the constitutional and moral responsibilities to provide redress when innocent citizens suffer violations of their rights.

Dantani said the Department of State Services (DSS) stands out among security agencies for consistently compensating citizens who were wrongfully arrested or harmed due to operational mistakes.

The lawyer cited several cases of compensation by the DSS, including that of Nura Idris, a Kaduna-based farmer and herder, who recently received N3 million after being wrongly linked to Boko Haram activities.

He added that Chineze Ozoadibe, an Abuja businesswoman, was awarded N10 million over her wrongful arrest on allegations of oil bunkering, while a Sokoto-based trader reportedly received N20 million and medical care after he was mistakenly shot during a 2016 security operation in Jos.

Dantani described the initiative as a “landmark step toward strengthening accountability within the country’s security architecture”.

The lawyer commended Oluwatosin Ajayi, director-general of the DSS, for the policy and urged other security agencies, including the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigerian Army, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), to institute similar compensation mechanisms.

“This is a bold, commendable and unprecedented gesture that deserves national recognition. It demonstrates that while security agencies have a constitutional responsibility to protect the nation, they also have a moral and legal obligation to acknowledge mistakes and provide remedies to innocent citizens whose rights have been violated,” Dantani said.

“The fight against terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and other forms of criminality is a national priority.”

Dantani added that the pursuit of security must never come at the expense of justice, noting that national security and respect for fundamental human rights are complementary principles.