The Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Mr. Oluwatosin Adeola Ajayi, has ordered the release of Mrs. Chineze Ozoadibe, an Abuja-based businesswoman who was wrongfully arrested over alleged oil bunkering.

Mrs. Ozoadibe has also been awarded ₦10 million in compensation, while five other persons unlawfully detained by the Service will share an additional ₦10 million.

In a statement on Tuesday, the DSS explained that Ozoadibe’s arrest was coincidental, stressing that the case reflects the Service’s new culture of admitting mistakes and compensating victims under Mr. Ajayi’s leadership.

The statement recalled that this was not the first time the DG had taken such steps. In a previous case, the DSS approved ₦20 million compensation and lifelong medical care for a Jos-based businessman who was mistakenly shot by its personnel in 2016, an award that far exceeded the court’s judgment.

Mr. Ajayi further urged DSS officers to ensure thorough investigations before making arrests, while emphasizing the need to acknowledge and correct errors whenever they occur.