After six years of legal battles, a Sokoto businessman who was wrongfully shot by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) has finally received his court-ordered compensation. The security agency, initially directed to pay him ₦10 million in damages, has now doubled the amount to ₦20 million as a goodwill gesture.
The businessman’s ordeal began in the early hours of April 2, 2016, when DSS operatives stormed his residence in Jos, Plateau State, in search of a suspected gunrunner. Sharing a last name with the actual suspect, he was mistaken for the target and shot in the thigh before the agents realized their error. Later that day, the real suspect was arrested and transferred to Abuja.
Rather than ensuring proper medical care, the DSS rushed the injured businessman to Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH), only to abandon him there. Due to an ongoing doctors’ strike, he was left untreated until he was eventually transferred to a military hospital.
The consequences of the mistaken shooting were devastating. The businessman, who previously ran a thriving fertilizer business, lost his capital, fell into debt, and was ultimately evicted from his home. Financial struggles forced him to relocate to Sokoto with his family, where his situation only worsened. Between 2019 and 2020, he lost two of his young children to malaria and typhoid—both preventable illnesses had he had access to adequate healthcare.
Determined to seek justice, he filed a fundamental rights lawsuit against the DSS in 2016. In 2018, the Federal High Court in Bauchi ruled in his favor, ordering the DSS to pay ₦10 million in damages. However, the agency refused to comply and instead filed an appeal, prolonging the businessman’s hardship. In 2019, the Court of Appeal in Jos dismissed the DSS’s appeal due to procedural lapses, reaffirming the previous ruling.
With legal enforcement as the next step, the businessman’s lawyer, Akibu Idris, opted for a direct appeal to the Attorney-General’s office. This strategic move finally led to the breakthrough, with the DSS agreeing to settle the judgment debt. On March 15, 2025, DSS Director-General Adeola Ajayi not only approved the ₦10 million payment but also personally added another ₦10 million to assist in rebuilding the businessman’s life.
An insider within the DSS revealed that, in addition to financial compensation, the agency granted the businessman access to its medical facilities for further treatment. While his external wounds have healed, he continues to suffer from mobility issues as a result of the shooting.
The businessman, who still struggles to walk, expressed both relief and gratitude.
“May Allah bless the DSS Director-General. This was my destiny, but I will always appreciate those who stood by me—especially my lawyer,” he said.
His lawyer, Akibu Idris, who handled the case pro bono, commended the DSS leadership for upholding justice, stating that the agency’s decision set a new precedent for accountability in Nigeria.
“This move strengthens public confidence in the judiciary and law enforcement,” Idris remarked.
Now, with some financial relief, the businessman hopes to restart his life, relocate back to Jos, and revive his once-prosperous business. More importantly, he hopes his story will inspire greater accountability among security agencies, ensuring that no innocent citizen suffers a similar fate in the future.
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