8 Months After, Family Seeks Release Of Brother In DSS Custody

The family of Johnson Ankeli Shuaib has called on President Bola Tinubu and the newly appointed director-general of the Department of State Services (DSS), Adeola Ajayi, to intervene in the continued incarceration of his brother, Mohammed Ngbede Shuaib in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS), without prosecution for almost eight months now.

Speaking to journalists in Abuja, Johnson said his brother was arrested after the personnel of the DSS had raided their house in the Bako Area of Gwagwalada on January 31, 2024.

Johnson stated that the personnel, dressed in all camouflage black, had raided their compound, shooting sporadically before taking Mohammed and another person, his cousin, Friday Audu, who was shot in the leg.

According to him, “On that fateful day of January 31, 2024, the DSS personnel invaded our homes, breaking down our door while others were shooting sporadically. In the process of the shooting, my cousin, Friday Audu, was shot in the leg. At the end of the operations, we discovered they took Friday and Mohammed, my brother. We were waiting for them to call, thinking that there were kidnappers, all to no avail.

“After searching for them for over two months, Friday returned home, narrated what happened, and told us they were in the custody of the DSS. He also narrated everything that happened that day because I was not home that night. That was how we knew that it wasn‘t the kidnappers that came for them but the DSS.

„We are poor and can‘t afford a legal case against the government, and that is why we are begging the president to intervene and make the DSS release our brother. We have not seen him since he was taken, and we don‘t even know his offence or why he is held, but we want our brother out because we believe he is still alive.“

Johnson further noted that the shock from the event of that day led to the death of their mother, who was at home when the personnel came.

When asked if the brother was involved in any issue that could lead to his arrest, Johnson said the only issue his brother had was domestic because he was separated from his wife, and besides that, there were no other issues.

While speaking on the issue, Barrister Ifeanyi Chukwu Nwaezeh, who has been monitoring the situation, urged the new director general of the DSS and the president to assist the family in releasing their brother, who is also a father.

Barrister Nwaezeh said the family could not afford legal fees to start pursuing the case, noting that he was only assisting them in the limited way he could.

He further called for the DSS‘s repositioning for better service to the nation, noting that the DSS is meant to protect and not abuse power.

The barrister mentioned a similar case in which another person, Charles Abu, was detained and prosecuted over unsubstantiated allegations, noting that this is the time for the new DSS DG to correct the last mistakes.

Meanwhile, the DSS spokesperson, Dr Peter Afunanya, did not respond to calls and messages seeking his reaction.