Dantani Advocates DSS Compensation Model for Security Agencies

Hamza Dantani, a legal practitioner and human rights advocate, has called for Nigerian security agencies to emulate the Department of State Services (DSS) policy of compensating innocent citizens who have been wrongly arrested, unlawfully detained, or harmed during security operations. Dantani commended DSS Director-General Oluwatosin Ajayi for introducing this compensation initiative, describing it as a landmark step towards enhancing accountability within Nigeria's security framework.

He emphasized that security agencies have a constitutional, legal, and moral obligation to provide redress for rights violations. Dantani cited several beneficiaries of the DSS compensation policy, including Nura Idris, who received ₦3 million after being wrongfully linked to Boko Haram; Chineze Ozoadibe, awarded ₦10 million for wrongful arrest; and a Sokoto trader who received ₦20 million and lifetime medical care after being mistakenly shot in 2016.

He stressed that accountability fosters trust between security agencies and citizens.