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In a rare gesture of accountability and compassion, the Department of State Services (DSS) has disbursed a total of N20 million and extended free, lifelong medical care to a Sokoto-based businessman mistakenly shot during an operation in Jos, Plateau State, in 2016.
The incident occurred during a pre-dawn raid to arrest a suspected gunrunner. Due to a case of mistaken identity, DSS operatives accidentally shot the businessman, who shares the same name as the actual suspect later apprehended.
Following a 2018 court ruling by Justice Muhammed Shittu Abubakar of the Federal High Court in Bauchi (Suit No: FHC/J/CS/18/2018), the DSS was ordered to pay the victim N10 million in damages. However, it wasn’t until March 2025 that the new Director-General of the DSS, Mr. Tosin Ajayi, implemented the court’s directive. In an unexpected move, he doubled the amount by adding an extra N10 million as a goodwill gesture to compensate for the delay and the victim’s ordeal.
Beyond financial compensation, the DG instructed that the businessman be officially integrated into the DSS medical system to enjoy comprehensive and free healthcare for life. He was recently admitted to the DSS hospital in Abuja, where he has been undergoing intensive medical checks and receiving treatment under VIP conditions.
A security source confirmed the development, noting that the victim is receiving round-the-clock care aimed at restoring full functionality to his limbs. “He’s in a fully air-conditioned VIP ward, getting the best treatment from our top doctors. He’s also being fed at no cost, in line with the DG’s directive,” the source said.
“This is the third DG since the unfortunate incident,” the source continued. “But we’re proud of Mr. Ajayi’s decision to right this wrong. His actions show that security agencies can not only obey the law but also act with humanity and empathy.”
The DSS’s gesture has been lauded in security and civil society circles as a benchmark in restoring public trust and institutional responsibility.
