DSS boss orders release, compensation for man held since 2022 over alleged IPOB ties

The Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Oluwatosin Adeola Ajayi, has ordered the release of Kenneth Okechukwu Nwafor, who had been detained since July 2022 over alleged links to the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

Nwafor, a native of Isuikwuato Local Government Area in Abia State, was also awarded N5 million compensation for wrongful arrest, along with approval for free medical care.

According to credible security sources, a fresh, comprehensive investigation cleared him of all allegations. His release follows Ajayi’s standing directive to review inherited cases to ensure due process and timely justice.

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“The DG directed his investigation officers to conduct detailed reviews of all pending cases, and Nwafor’s case is one of them,” the source said.

The source added that the move aligns with Ajayi’s ongoing reforms, noting that three other Abia indigenes — Udemba, Onyedikachi and Eze — previously detained over suspected IPOB links were similarly freed.

“This gesture is a testament to his resolve to uphold the rule of law and adhere to the service’s standard operating procedures,” the source stated.

Highlighting Ajayi’s push for accountability, the source recalled past efforts to correct institutional errors, including the payment of N20 million compensation to a Jos-based businessman mistakenly shot during a 2016 operation — double the amount awarded by the court.

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Nwafor’s case adds to a growing list of detainees, particularly of Igbo origin, released and compensated under the new DSS leadership, including three young men previously held over alleged IPOB ties and, most recently, an Abuja businesswoman freed in October with N10 million compensation.

This latest action reinforces Ajayi’s commitment to institutional reform, restorative justice, and strict adherence to due process within Nigeria’s internal security framework.

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