DSS: The wheel of justice is turning

By Charles Ebere

For far too long, one of Nigeria’s greatest frustrations has been the painfully slow pace of justice. The popular saying that “the wheel of justice grinds slowly” became not merely a proverb but a bitter reality. In many cases, particularly involving violent crimes and terrorism, the wheel seemed not merely slow but stalled altogether. Perpetrators of heinous acts often escaped accountability, while victims and their families were left waiting endlessly for closure.

At the heart of the problem was a lack of institutional will to relentlessly pursue cases from arrest to conviction. Arrests alone do not deliver justice. Intelligence gathering alone does not deliver justice. Public announcements and dramatic operations do not deliver justice. Justice is delivered only when investigations are thorough, prosecutions are competent, due process is respected, and courts arrive at lawful judgments. That is why the recent record of the Department of State Services (DSS) deserves recognition and commendation.

Over the past two years, there has been a noticeable shift in the agency’s approach to counterterrorism and national security enforcement. Under the leadership of Director-General Tosin Ajayi, the Service appears to have embraced a more comprehensive understanding of what successful security operations entail.

Terror suspects are not merely being apprehended; they are increasingly being investigated, prosecuted, and convicted through constitutionally recognised courts of law. This distinction is important. In an era when security agencies around the world are often accused of bypassing legal procedures in the pursuit of security objectives, the DSS has demonstrated that it is possible to combat terrorism aggressively while remaining within the boundaries of the law.

The agency’s recent successes are not products of kangaroo courts or extra-judicial measures. They are outcomes of judicial processes in which evidence is presented, rights are observed, and courts independently determine guilt or innocence. That is how a democracy should function. A notable example came in mid-June when a Federal High Court in Katsina State sentenced Hauwa’u Mukhtar, a female arms courier, to death for aiding terrorism. Mukhtar had been arrested in 2023 at a motor park in Katsina while attempting to transport 438 rounds of live ammunition to a notorious bandit leader operating in neighbouring Zamfara State.

The significance of that case extends beyond the sentence itself. Security operatives intercepted an important link in the terrorist supply chain. But the real victory came from what happened afterward. The arrest was followed by diligent investigation, lawful prosecution, and ultimately a conviction. The terror ecosystem lost one of its operatives because the justice system was allowed to function effectively. A similar development occurred about a month earlier when an Abuja High Court sentenced another woman to 20 years imprisonment for supporting terrorism. Again, the message was unmistakable: participation in terrorist networks, whether through logistics, financing, intelligence support, recruitment, or transportation of weapons, carries serious consequences.

These convictions matter because modern terrorism is sustained not only by gunmen in forests and camps but also by facilitators operating quietly behind the scenes. Every successful prosecution weakens the broader infrastructure that enables violent extremism to survive.

Perhaps the most significant judicial milestone occurred on June 3 this year when Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja sentenced four men to death by hanging for their role in the horrific attack on St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State.

The June 5, 2022 massacre remains one of the most horrifying terrorist attacks ever witnessed in Nigeria’s South-West.

More than 40 worshippers were killed and over 100 others sustained injuries during the assault on innocent citizens gathered for worship.

For the victims’ families, justice delayed was indeed painful. Yet justice was not denied.

The prosecution, undertaken by the DSS, culminated in convictions that demonstrated the value of patient, professional investigative work. The trial began on August 19, 2025, approximately one year after Ajayi assumed leadership of the Service. Behind the courtroom proceedings lay painstaking intelligence operations: tracking suspects across multiple locations and states, reconstructing communications, establishing connections, and piecing together attack plans. Such work rarely attracts headlines.

Intelligence successes are often invisible by design. Citizens see the verdicts but not the thousands of hours spent gathering evidence capable of surviving judicial scrutiny. The Owo case illustrated the DSS at its best—meticulous, disciplined, and focused on securing outcomes that withstand legal examination. Indeed, one of the most encouraging developments under Ajayi’s leadership appears to be a renewed emphasis on process. Security operations are increasingly being linked to prosecutorial outcomes. Arrests are not being treated as public relations victories but as the beginning of a legal journey aimed at accountability.

Challenges undoubtedly remain.

Nigeria’s security environment is complex, and terrorist groups continue to adapt. Banditry, kidnapping, insurgency, and organised criminal networks remain significant threats. No serious observer would suggest that victory has been achieved. However, it is equally important to acknowledge progress when it occurs.

In less than two years, there are indications that the DSS has improved aspects of its covert operational processes. The agency appears to be engaging more actively with citizens and communities as sources of information. Intelligence gathering, after all, is most effective when there is public trust and cooperation.

Many of the agency’s successes today are likely rooted in information voluntarily supplied by ordinary Nigerians. This suggests a growing relationship between the Service and the communities it serves. Another commendable development is the apparent willingness to review internal records and address potential injustices.

The case of Ya’u Mohammed, a resident of Yobe State who was wrongly arrested and detained, offers an instructive example. Rather than allowing the matter to remain buried in bureaucratic files, the circumstances of his detention were reviewed. He was subsequently released and reportedly compensated financially.

This decision deserves praise because it reflects an important principle: security agencies earn legitimacy not only through the guilty they prosecute but also through the innocent they protect. Mistakes can occur in any institution, especially those operating in difficult and high-pressure environments. What distinguishes professional organisations is their willingness to correct errors when they are identified.

The release and compensation of Mohammed sent a powerful signal that justice must apply to everyone.

This human-centred approach is perhaps one of the defining features emerging under the current leadership.

The DSS is increasingly demonstrating that toughness and humanity are not mutually exclusive.  An agency can pursue terrorists relentlessly while still respecting constitutional rights. It can conduct covert operations while maintaining regard for due process. It can protect national security while recognising the dignity of individual citizens.

Equally noteworthy is the agency’s discretion. In an age where institutions often seek publicity, the DSS has largely allowed results to speak for themselves. Numerous terrorist cells have been disrupted. Camps have been dismantled. Intelligence operations have contributed to solving major security cases. Yet much of this work occurs quietly, away from television cameras and social media applause. Security agencies are most effective when they focus on outcomes rather than publicity. Nigerians do not need daily announcements; they need safer communities, successful prosecutions, and functioning institutions.

Increasingly, the DSS appears to understand this distinction. The fight against terrorism is not won merely on battlefields. It is won in intelligence rooms and courtrooms. It is won when evidence triumphs over impunity and when lawful convictions replace endless investigations. For years, Nigerians complained that justice moved too slowly. Today, there are encouraging signs that the wheel is turning with greater purpose. Terrorists and their enablers are not only being apprehended; they are being held accountable through lawful judicial processes.

Much work remains ahead. Yet where progress is visible, it should be acknowledged. By combining effective intelligence operations with respect for due process, strengthening cooperation with citizens, correcting institutional mistakes, and ensuring that prosecutions lead to convictions, the DSS is contributing meaningfully to the rule of law.