HURIWA commends DSS DG over human rights reforms, seeks nationwide human rights desk
By: Zagazola Makama
The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has commended the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Mr Oluwatosin Ajayi, for implementing reforms that promote respect for human rights, adherence to the rule of law, and compensation for victims of wrongful detention.
HURIWA said the reforms marked a shift in the agency’s operational culture and were a welcome surprise to the human rights community, which had for years criticised the DSS for opacity and high-handedness.
In a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Abuja, HURIWA said it was “rare and profound” to see a Nigerian security institution act swiftly in redressing documented cases of rights violations.
“It is not every day that the human rights community in Nigeria is compelled to acknowledge progress within a security agency that has historically been associated with arbitrary detention and abuse of power,” Onwubiko said.
“But in this case, we must give credit where it is due. Mr. Oluwatosin Ajayi has not only started well—he has already exceeded expectations in some key areas.”
The association cited the recent release of three young Nigerians – Augustine Udemba, Nelson Onyedikachi Udemba, and Ifesinachi Eze – who were allegedly held by the DSS for months on suspicion of membership of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and involvement in the killing of seven herders.
According to HURIWA, their release followed a review ordered by the DSS Director-General, and they were also reportedly compensated.
HURIWA also highlighted the case of Abdulyakini Salisu, a businessman wrongfully detained on suspicion of kidnapping, who was recently awarded ₦10 million in compensation.
It further noted the intervention by the DG in a 2016 incident involving a Jos-based businessman accidentally shot by DSS operatives, resulting in the award of ₦20 million in compensation after years of legal battles.
“These cases indicate that the DSS is undergoing a systemic clean-up of its detention records and adopting a more rights-respecting posture,” Onwubiko said.
He urged the DSS to institutionalise the reforms by establishing human rights desks across all its state commands and at the national headquarters, modelled after a similar structure in the Nigerian Army.
According to HURIWA, the proposed desk should have the mandate to receive and investigate complaints from the public and DSS personnel regarding human rights violations and operational misconduct.
“In light of what we’ve seen so far, we are hopeful,” Onwubiko said.
“But hope alone is not enough. That is why we are urging the DSS to build on these reforms and codify them into its standard operating procedures.”
HURIWA also called on the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies to emulate the DSS in promoting internal accountability and public trust.
It further urged civil society groups, the legal community, and the National Assembly to support the DSS reform process.
“This is not about praising a person, it is about supporting a principle accountability, justice, and fairness,” the statement added.
