The head of Nigeria’s State Security Service, Oluwatosin Adeola Ajayi, has taken decisive action to free a man who had been held for more than three years on suspicion of supporting the banned Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB).
After a thorough internal review cleared Kenneth Okechukwu Nwafor of any involvement in the group, the Director‑General not only ordered his immediate release but also approved a compensation package worth five million naira, along with full medical coverage.
Ajayi’s decision is part of a broader mandate to overhaul the agency’s case backlog. Since assuming office, he has instructed investigators to re‑examine every file inherited from previous leadership, emphasizing due process and swift resolution.
Sources within the service say the DG has made it clear that every pending matter must be scrutinized, and Nwafor’s case was highlighted as a priority for review.
The move is not an isolated incident. In recent weeks, three other individuals from Abia State identified as Udemba, Onyedikachi and Eze were also set free after similar internal assessments found no evidence linking them to IPOB.
Moreover, the DSS has been settling other wrongful‑detention claims, including a ten‑million‑naira payment to an Abuja entrepreneur, a shared ten‑million‑naira fund for five additional victims, and a twenty‑million‑naira settlement for a businessman injured in a 2016 operation.
By publicly acknowledging mistakes and providing reparations, Ajayi is signalling a shift toward greater transparency and responsibility within the security apparatus.
Observers will be watching closely to see whether this renewed focus on corrective justice translates into lasting reforms and helps rebuild public confidence in Nigeria’s security agencies.
