Dantani Urges Security Agencies To Adopt DSS Compensation Policy For Wrongful Arrests

A legal practitioner and human rights advocate, Hamza Dantani, has called on security agencies across Nigeria to institutionalise compensation for innocent citizens who are wrongly arrested, unlawfully detained or harmed during official operations, urging them to emulate the Department of State Services (DSS).

Dantani made the appeal while commending the Director-General of the DSS, Oluwatosin Ajayi, for introducing a compensation policy for victims of wrongful arrests and operational errors, describing the initiative as a landmark step towards promoting accountability and public trust within Nigeria’s security architecture.

In a statement titled: “DSS Compensation Initiative Sets Standard for Security Agencies,” the lawyer said the policy deserved national recognition because it demonstrated that security agencies could admit mistakes without undermining their operational effectiveness.

According to him, agencies responsible for safeguarding the nation also have constitutional, legal and moral obligations to provide redress whenever innocent citizens suffer violations of their rights.

He stressed that the fight against terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and other forms of criminality must always be conducted within the bounds of the law and with full respect for fundamental human rights.

“The fight against terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and other forms of criminality is a national priority. However, the pursuit of security must never come at the expense of justice. National security and respect for fundamental human rights are complementary principles that strengthen one another,” he added.

Dantani said the DSS had demonstrated that public institutions could acknowledge and correct operational errors while retaining public confidence, noting that accountability strengthens trust between security agencies and the citizens they are mandated to protect.

He urged the Nigeria Police Force, Nigerian Army, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and other law enforcement bodies to institutionalise similar compensation mechanisms whenever innocent citizens are wrongfully arrested, detained or injured during official operations.