The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has commended the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Mr Oluwatosin Adeola Ajayi, for what it described as an encouraging shift towards more professional, accountable and human rights-compliant intelligence operations.
The association made its position known in a statement issued in Abuja and signed by its National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, while welcoming the reported review of old DSS watchlists, including restrictions dating back several decades.
HURIWA maintained that outdated intelligence records should not continue to unjustifiably affect the liberty, dignity and freedom of movement of citizens.
The association cited the resolution of a longstanding watchlist issue involving the Executive Director of the International Press Centre, Mr Lanre Arogundade, as an example of the importance of periodically reviewing security classifications.
It also commended the reported compensation of persons affected by wrongful detention, mistaken identity or operational errors.
According to the HURIWA National Coordinator, acknowledging mistakes, providing redress and learning from operational failures could strengthen public confidence in security institutions.
The group welcomed reported reviews that had led to the release of persons whose continued detention was no longer justified by available investigations.
“Intelligence gathering must never become a substitute for due process,” HURIWA said.
While recognising the DSS’s critical role in combating terrorism, kidnapping, violent extremism, espionage and other threats, the association stressed that security enforcement must remain anchored on legality, necessity, proportionality and respect for fundamental rights.
HURIWA urged the DSS leadership to institutionalise the reforms by strengthening mechanisms for monitoring rights compliance, investigating complaints and recommending corrective action.
The association recommended human rights impact assessments, periodic detention reviews, redress and compensation, as well as stronger engagement with civil society organisations.
Onwubiko further called for mandatory continuous human rights training for operatives, accessible citizen complaint channels, responsible media engagement and preventive, rights-based intelligence gathering.
According to the group, such measures could improve intelligence sharing and crime prevention while reducing unnecessary arrests and confrontations.
“We therefore commend Mr Ajayi for the reform direction and urge him to consolidate the gains by making accountability, proportionality, due process, professional conduct and access to remedy permanent features of DSS operations,” HURIWA declared.
