Nigerian lawyer urges police, EFCC, army to adopt DSS compensation policy

A Nigerian legal practitioner is urging national security agencies to emulate the Department of State Services (DSS) by compensating citizens who are wrongly arrested, detained, or injured during operations. Hamza Dantani, a human rights advocate, praised the DSS Director-General, Oluwatosin Ajayi, for introducing a compensation policy for victims of wrongful arrests.

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This is a bold, commendable and unprecedented gesture that deserves national recognition.

Dantani described the DSS initiative as a significant step toward accountability, calling it a "bold, commendable and unprecedented gesture that deserves national recognition." He stated that while security agencies have a duty to protect the nation, they must also acknowledge mistakes and offer remedies for violations of citizens' rights.

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While security agencies have a constitutional responsibility to protect the nation, they also have a moral and legal obligation to acknowledge mistakes and provide remedies to innocent citizens whose rights have been violated.

"The pursuit of security must never come at the expense of justice. National security and respect for fundamental human rights are complementary principles that strengthen one another," Dantani asserted. He believes the DSS has demonstrated that admitting and rectifying operational errors can build public trust, noting that several victims have already received compensation.

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The pursuit of security must never come at the expense of justice. National security and respect for fundamental human rights are complementary principles that strengthen one another.

The lawyer called on the Police, Army, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), EFCC, and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) to establish similar compensation mechanisms. He also advocated for reforms to reduce wrongful arrests through better intelligence, investigations, and adherence to human rights standards. Dantani stressed that arrest should not be a substitute for investigation or punishment.

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An arrest should never be treated as punishment, and detention should never become a substitute for proper investigation.