Barely a month after ordering the release and compensation of Abuja-based businesswoman Mrs. Chineze Ozoadibe, the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Oluwatosin Adeola Ajayi, has approved the release of Kenneth Okechukwu Nwafor, arrested in July 2022 for alleged involvement with the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB).
Nwafor, from Isuikwuato LGA in Abia State has also been awarded N5 million in compensation for wrongful arrest, alongside free medical care.
Credible security sources say a thorough investigation by DSS personnel fully exonerated him.
“This release and compensation are part of the DG’s directive to review all pending cases to ensure due process and prompt justice,” a source said.
“Nwafor’s case was carefully examined and cleared.”
Three other Abia men, Udemba, Onyedikachi, and Eze, also suspected of IPOB affiliation, were released under the same review.
The source added that DSS DG Ajayi has consistently promoted accountability and corrective action:
In 2016, he paid N20 million to a Jos-based businessman who was mistakenly shot during a DSS operation, doubling the court-awarded damages.
Last month, he paid N10 million to Mrs. Ozoadibe and distributed another N10 million among five others wrongfully detained.
Several other Igbo nationals wrongfully detained for alleged IPOB membership have been released and compensated under his leadership.
“The DG recognises that mistakes happen and believes in taking corrective action. His efforts reflect a culture of accountability and adherence to rule of law within the DSS,” the source concluded.
