The Department of State Services (DSS) has released Mustapha Marwana, a Katsina-born carpenter who was arrested over alleged links to the Ansaru terrorist group and the abduction of schoolchildren and teachers in the Ogbomoso area of Oyo State.
A DSS source confirmed that Marwana was released following a directive from the agency’s Director-General, Oluwatosin Ajayi, after investigations cleared him of membership of or financing any terrorist organisation.
The DSS also awarded Marwana N3 million in compensation following his release.
Marwana was reportedly arrested in connection with the abduction of pupils and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.
Abduction of Schoolchildren and Teachers
The incident occurred in May when gunmen attacked three schools in Oriire LGA and abducted 39 pupils and seven teachers, including the principal of one of the affected schools.
One of the abducted teachers, Michael Oyedokun, was later killed by the kidnappers.
The abduction sparked public outrage and protests demanding the safe release of the victims.
The abducted teachers and schoolchildren were eventually released on July 10.
Meanwhile, a Federal High Court in Abuja in July sentenced three men to life imprisonment over the kidnapping.
The convicts — Abdulrazak Umar, Yunusa Musa and Shamsu Adamu Sani — were convicted on charges bordering on terrorism, kidnapping, concealment, incitement and illegal mining.
DSS Compensation for Wrongful Arrests
Marwana’s case is the latest in a series of cases where the DSS has compensated individuals after investigations cleared them of alleged links to criminal or terrorist groups.
In June, the agency released Nura Idris, who had been wrongly linked to Boko Haram insurgents, and approved N3 million in compensation for him.
In November 2025, the DSS released Kenneth Nwafor, who had been wrongly accused of being a member of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), and awarded him N5 million.
Earlier in October 2025, the agency released Abuja-based businessman Chineze Ozoadibe, who had been wrongly arrested by another security agency over alleged involvement in illegal bunkering and transferred to the DSS.
She received N10 million in compensation.
