Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Department of State Services (DSS) has released Nura Idris, a herder and farmer from Kaduna State, after two years in detention over allegations of links to the Boko Haram terror group. Following an internal review that found no evidence to support the charges, the DSS Director-General, Oluwatosin Adeola Ajayi, ordered his immediate release and approved a compensation package of N3 million to help him meet his immediate needs and rebuild his life, according to a statement by the service spokesperson, Dozie Favour, on Saturday, June 27, 2026.
Idris, a resident of Soba Local Government Area of Kaduna State, was arrested in Suleja, Niger State, in June 2024 by a sister security agency over alleged links to terrorists. He was subsequently transferred to DSS custody, where he remained for two years pending a review of his case. Following a thorough reassessment ordered by the Director-General, a DSS investigation panel concluded that the allegations against him could not be substantiated.
According to the service, the release is part of an internal review exercise initiated last year to reassess prolonged inherited cases and ensure that individuals wrongfully detained are not kept in custody unnecessarily. “The exercise is aimed at reassessing prolonged inherited cases to ensure that erroneously detained individuals do not remain in detention,” the spokesperson said. The DSS also noted that, under the current leadership, safeguarding national security and upholding citizens' rights must go hand in hand.
Beyond the N3 million compensation, the DSS Director-General pledged to assist Idris in restarting his livestock and farming business. The agency also provides psychological, medical, and reintegration support to individuals cleared after internal reviews, with plans to help them establish businesses of their choice. Receiving the compensation, Idris expressed gratitude to the DSS leadership. “I thank the DGSS for his kindness. I was well treated in DSS custody and I pray that Allah rewards the DGSS immensely,” he was quoted as saying. His father, Yusuf Idris, who received him upon his release, also thanked the Director-General for his compassion and generosity, assuring that the compensation would be put to good use.
The DSS recalled similar cases, including that of Sunday Ifedi and his wife, Calista, who were arrested in November 2021 and detained for three years before the current Director-General assumed office. Following a review, Ifedi was released in December 2025 after being cleared of alleged links to the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), and received N10 million in compensation. The agency is also rebuilding a restaurant in memory of his wife, who died in custody. The DSS said more than 30 cases have been reviewed under the internal exercise, with over N300 million paid as compensation to individuals found to have been wrongfully detained.
Idris's release and compensation underscore the DSS's growing reputation for institutional integrity and a commitment to balancing national security with the protection of citizens' rights, the service said. “The Service under the current DG has continued to show that safeguarding national security and citizens must go hand in hand with upholding the rights and dignity of citizens,” a security source stated.
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