The Director General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Mr. Oluwatosin Ajayi, on Saturday, July 19, 2025, again demonstrated his avowed respect for human rights by releasing a suspect, Abdulyakini Salisu, who had been in the custody of the agency since 2022.
This is coming about two months after paying N20 million as compensation to a Jos based business who was shot as a result of mistaken identity during an operation in 2016.
The release of Salisu, brought to 12, the number of suspects released in July alone.
Interestingly, the DSS tendered an apology to Abdulyakini Salisu, just as the Director General of the Secret police directed that the released suspect be paid N10 million as “initial compensation” and further support.
A source within the Agency told Forefront News that the initial compensation, was an indication that Salisu may likely get more.
The source quoted the Director General to have said that the compensation was a gesture of remorse by the Service to the victim, who, before his arrest, operated a stone quarry on the Zuba – Kaduna expressway.
It was also gathered the DG also directed that Salisu, like another former detainee released by the DG, should enjoy free medical services at the DSS hospital for as long as he wishes.
Forefront News gathered that Salisu is the third celebrated case of several other suspects set free by the DSS since Mr Ajayi assumed office.
“On July 1, 2025, the DSS DG ordered the payment of an undisclosed amount running into several millions of Naira as compensation to 11 persons amongst whom were Mohammed Adamu, Adamu Abubakar, Mohammed Bindi, and Baba Kura Mallam who were arrested in Osun state on terrorism – related charges.
It was also gathered that the DG directed that all officers involved in the embarrassing arrests of the released suspects, should be made to face disciplinary action.
Similarly, the case of Mohammed Ciroma Jr., a 400 Level Computer Science student at Modibbo Adama University, Yola, according to the source, was also reviewed, following which the DG ordered the Service to assist in the student’s reinstatement to his school, with a promise to grant him full scholarship to be funded by the Service.
The source further said that before the release of the 11 artisans in Osun state, the DSS DG directed the Service to pay N20 million to a Jos-based businessman who was mistakenly shot by DSS operatives that were on the trail of a notorious gunrunner as the victim and the gunrunner bore similar names.
The source further said; “When the committee set up by the DG drew his attention to the case of the artisans and the Jos- based businessman, among many other cases, he ordered the committee to expedite action on their cases which led to the quick resolution of their cases from among the several cases before the committee.
“The DG gave a clear directive that he wouldn’t mind the source of any information bordering on the plight of persons who were unjustly detained by the Service. In fact, he ordered his public relations department to update him on reports – no matter the source – on persons who may have been unjustly detained or unfairly treated by the DSS.
“When officers drew the DG’s attention to a report on Salisu by Sahara Reporters, he immediately ordered the committee to confirm if Salisu’s matter was among the several cases being investigated, and give him a detailed report within 48 hours.
“Upon realizing via the report that Salisu’s case was that of a mistaken identity of a man linked to kidnapping, the DG immediately ordered his release and, typically, initially compensated him with N10 million. Given the DG’s disposition to upholding justice, the man will likely get more,” the source said.
On assumption of office in August 2024, Ajayi promised to reform the DSS to make it more covert and efficient while demonstrating utmost respect for human rights.
As a demonstration of matching his words with action, the DG set up a committee to review the cases of all the suspects he inherited, just as he stopped operatives from publicly totting guns, insisting that security services need not be at the expense of human rights.
According to the source; “The DG would always tell his officers that he is committed to President Bola Tinubu’s charge that, under his administration, no citizen is made to suffer any human rights abuse.
“It is noteworthy that the DSS DG has not claimed that there were no abuses in the past. Of course, during operations, security agencies the world over, including the United States, make mistakes.
“What Tosin Ajayi has done is to say, ‘Hey! We are fallible because we are humans.’ But, whenever we realize our mistakes, we shall be man enough to own up, apologize, and where possible, pay compensation”.
