A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has officially exonerated the Department of State Services (DSS) regarding the whereabouts of a suspected Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) commander.
The ruling, delivered today, Friday, 16 January 2026, brings to a close a high-profile legal battle initiated by the family of the suspect, who had accused the secret police of “enforced disappearance” following an anti-terror raid in late 2024.
The lawsuit sought a writ of Habeas Corpus, demanding that the DSS produce the suspect in court or release him. The family alleged that the suspect was taken from his residence in the Federal Capital Territory and had not been heard from since.
The DSS provided classified evidence and internal logs showing that while the suspect was indeed arrested during an ISWAP-linked operation, he was no longer in their custody at the time the suit was filed.
The agency successfully argued that the suspect had been transferred to a joint military detention facility for further “de-radicalization and interrogation” under the coordination of the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).
Justice Binta Nyako (or the presiding judge) ruled that the DSS had provided sufficient “documentary proof” of the suspect’s legal transfer, thereby absolving the agency of any wrongdoing or claims of extrajudicial disappearance.
The ruling comes at a time when ISWAP has intensified its “lone wolf” attacks in the North-Central region, putting immense pressure on security agencies.
The court noted that in cases of terrorism, the transfer of suspects between the DSS, Intelligence, and the Military is a standard operational procedure.
The judge emphasized that while security is paramount, the government must ensure the “chain of custody” is transparent to the judiciary to prevent human rights abuses.
A spokesperson for the DSS welcomed the judgment, stating that it vindicates the agency’s commitment to following legal protocols even in the most sensitive national security matters.
“The DSS does not ‘disappear’ people. We operate within the ambit of the law. This ruling clarifies that we followed all necessary procedures in transferring this high-value ISWAP suspect to the appropriate military channel for the next phase of the investigation.”
Despite the exoneration, human rights lawyers present at the court expressed concern over the “shuffling” of suspects between agencies, which they argue makes it difficult for families and legal representatives to track the wellbeing of detainees.
