The Department of State Services (DSS) has reportedly released and compensated carpenter Mustapha Marwana after an investigation found no connection between him and the May 15 kidnapping crisis in Oriire, Oyo State — a development that has turned a frightening case of mistaken suspicion into an unusual reminder that, in the security business, sometimes the person being investigated is simply the person who happened to enter the wrong chapter of the story.
The development comes against the backdrop of the devastating attack on schools in Oriire, where armed men abducted pupils and teachers and killed members of the school community. The victims were eventually rescued on July 10 after more than 50 days in captivity in an intelligence-led, multi-agency operation.
DSS Releases Carpenter Cleared of Alleged Link to Oyo School Kidnapping
According to the material provided to OGM News NG, Marwana, a Katsina-born artisan, was arrested over alleged links to the attack and suspected connections with Ansaru. A DSS panel subsequently conducted a detailed review of the case and reportedly found that he was neither a member of a terrorist organisation nor operationally connected to Ansaru.
The reported decision fits into a wider pattern under DSS Director-General Oluwatosin Adeola Ajayi, whose leadership has overseen reviews of cases involving people who were allegedly detained wrongly. In December 2025, the DSS released three men after investigations failed to establish links to banditry and kidnapping, with the agency approving ₦3 million compensation for each. Another wrongly detained man, Nura Idris, was released in June 2026 after a review cleared him of alleged Boko Haram links, with ₦3 million compensation reported in his case.
Wrong Address, Wrong Suspect: DSS Sends Carpenter Home With Compensation
The original Oriire attack was no small security incident. On May 15, gunmen attacked schools in the Yawota and Ahoro-Esinele communities, abducting dozens of pupils and teachers. Reports later identified the attackers as suspected members of Ansaru, while the victims were held in the difficult terrain around the Old Oyo National Park.
After weeks of pressure, intelligence gathering and coordinated operations involving several security agencies, the abducted pupils and teachers were rescued on July 10. The Nigerian Army said the operation involved sustained intelligence-led efforts, while reports indicated that eight suspected terrorists were arrested and others were killed. The successful rescue was described by the Presidency as having been achieved without concessions to the terrorists.
The Marwana development therefore adds another layer to an already complicated security story: while authorities were pursuing those allegedly responsible for the attack, an innocent artisan was reportedly caught inside the investigation before investigators eventually concluded that the evidence did not support the allegations against him.
For Marwana, the reported compensation may offer some financial relief after the ordeal. For the wider public, however, the episode raises a serious question beneath the satire: how can security investigations move quickly enough to catch genuine threats while ensuring innocent citizens do not become casualties of suspicion? OGM News NG will continue to watch the story for further developments, particularly any additional clarification from the DSS concerning Marwana’s detention, release and compensation.
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