By Peter Onyekachukwu 
……..As DG Ajayi orders release, approves ₦20m compensation
By Peter Onyekachukwu
The Director General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Mr. Oluwatosin Adeola Ajayi, has ordered the release of several individuals wrongfully detained by the Service, including an Abuja-based businesswoman, Mrs. Chineze Ozoadibe.
Ozoadibe was mistakenly arrested during an operation targeting an oil bunkering syndicate. She was later cleared of any wrongdoing after investigations, leading to her release and the approval of ₦10 million compensation on the DG’s directive.
In addition to her case, five other detainees similarly caught in mistaken arrests are to receive a collective ₦10 million as restitution.
A senior security source described Ozoadibe’s arrest as “purely coincidental,” noting that it stemmed from a handover by another security agency. “Once DSS operatives established her innocence, the DG immediately ordered her release and compensation. It was a clear admission that mistakes had been made,” the source said.
The move is being interpreted as part of Ajayi’s effort to reshape the DSS into an accountable institution that admits mistakes and addresses them swiftly.
“Since Mr. Ajayi assumed office, the Service has adopted a zero-tolerance policy for wrongful detention,” another insider said. “It’s not about saving face, it’s about acknowledging errors and redressing them.”
Analysts believe Ajayi’s approach underscores a new culture of accountability within the Service. “He understands that accountability is strength, not weakness. His instruction to operatives is clear: investigate thoroughly, admit mistakes openly, and compensate swiftly,” one observer explained.
The DSS boss has also directed the Service’s legal department to enforce stricter protocols for future arrests, stressing that due process must be observed by all investigating officers.
Observers say the move could help curb the DSS’s long-standing reputation for heavy-handedness and restore public trust in the agency.