Lawyer Advocates DSS Compensation Model for Security Agencies

Hamza Dantani, a legal practitioner and human rights advocate, has called on Nigerian security agencies, including the police, EFCC, and Army, to adopt the compensation model established by the Department of State Services (DSS) for innocent citizens who have been wrongly arrested, unlawfully detained, or harmed during security operations. Dantani commended DSS Director-General Oluwatosin Ajayi for this initiative, labeling it as “bold and unprecedented.” He emphasized that while security agencies have a constitutional duty to protect the nation, they also have a legal and moral obligation to acknowledge their mistakes and provide remedies to victims.

Dantani cited several beneficiaries of the DSS compensation initiative, including Nura Idris, who received ₦3 million after being wrongfully linked to Boko Haram, and Chineze Ozoadibe, who was awarded ₦10 million following her wrongful arrest. He argued that accountability enhances public trust and that national security should not undermine fundamental human rights.