The Department of State Services has released a Kaduna State herder who was wrongfully detained over alleged links to Boko Haram terrorists after an internal investigation found no evidence to support the claims against him.
The agency also paid the man, identified as Nura Idris, N3 million as immediate compensation and pledged further support to help him rebuild his livelihood.
According to security sources, the Director-General of the DSS, Oluwatosin Adeola Ajayi, approved Idris’ release after a review panel established that he had no connection with the terrorist group.
Idris, a farmer and livestock rearer from Soba Local Government Area of Kaduna State, was reportedly arrested by another security agency in Suleja, Niger State, in June 2024 over alleged terrorist links before being transferred to the DSS.
However, after reviewing the case, the DSS concluded that the allegations against him were unfounded.
Beyond the N3 million compensation, the agency said it would assist Idris in restarting his business as part of efforts to reintegrate him into society.
Speaking after receiving the compensation, Idris expressed gratitude to the DSS leadership, saying the financial support would enable him to begin life afresh.
“I thank the DGSS for his kindness. I was well treated in DSS custody, and I pray that Allah rewards the DGSS immensely,” a security source quoted him as saying.
His father, Yusuf Idris, who received him upon his release, also thanked the agency for what he described as compassion and generosity, promising that the compensation would be put to good use.
A security source disclosed that the release forms part of an ongoing internal review initiated by the DSS to reassess inherited and prolonged detention cases with a view to identifying and freeing persons wrongfully held.
According to the source, the agency also provides psychological and medical support to cleared detainees before assisting them with business or livelihood restoration.
The source added that the review exercise was aimed at ensuring that innocent persons were not left in prolonged detention while also strengthening public confidence in the agency.
The development comes months after the DSS released another detainee, Sunday Ifedi, who had spent years in custody over alleged links to the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra before investigations cleared him of wrongdoing.
Ifedi reportedly received N10 million in compensation following his release in December 2025.
The agency also disclosed plans to rebuild a restaurant owned by Ifedi’s late wife, Calista, who died while in detention, as part of measures to compensate the family.
The DSS further said it had, in separate cases, released Abuja businesswoman Chineze Ozoadibe, Kenneth Okechukwu Nwafor and five other detainees previously linked to IPOB after investigations established their innocence.
According to the agency, each of the five former detainees received an initial N2 million compensation.
It added that another resident of Yobe State, Ya’u Mohammed, was recently released after being cleared of terrorism-related allegations and was provided with N2 million to support his reintegration.
Security sources said more than 30 wrongful detention cases had so far been reviewed under the exercise, with over N300 million paid as compensation to affected individuals.
The DSS said the initiative reflected its commitment to balancing national security responsibilities with the protection of citizens’ rights and dignity.
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