Human rights activist and lawyer, Deji Adeyanju, has applauded President Bola Tinubu and the Department of State Services (DSS) on the arrest and arraignment of nine suspects linked to bloody attacks in Benue and Plateau states.
Adeyanju a known critic of government hailed the President and the Director-General of the DSS, Mr. Tosin Ajayi, for the swift response to the deadly attacks in a post shared on his Facebook page on Thursday.
He wrote: “I wish to commend President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Director-General of the DSS for the arraignment of nine prime suspects linked to the tragic killings in Benue and Plateau states. This is a welcome step that gives hope to the affected communities that justice will be done and that the lost lives will not be forgotten.
“I believe this moment also serves an opportunity to call for the protection of Nigerians who are killed daily by bandits all over the country and also speed up the process of either releasing innocent people in custody of security agencies or charge those with a case to answer to court speedily. Citizens cannot continue to spend years in custody without charge.
“Too often, people are held in detention for long periods without being charged, and their families go through needless suffering. Justice delayed in this way affects both the innocent and the justice system itself.
“A reformed process that ensures timely investigation and prosecution will reinforce the credibility of our justice system and restore the confidence of the public in our institutions”.
The Department of State Services (DSS) had on Wednesday arraigned nine individuals before a Federal High Court in Abuja over their alleged complicity in recent killings in Benue and Plateau states.
The nine, named as defendants in six separate charges took turn to enter their pleas to the allegations raised against them, including unlawful possession and dealing in firearms, assisting in terrorism activities, among others.
Those arraigned are Terkende Ashuwa (46 years) and Amos Alede (44 years) names in the charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/448/2025; Haruna Adamu (26) and Muhammed Abdullahi (48) in the charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/449/2025, and Halima Haliru Usman (32) in the charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/450/2025.
Others are Timna Manjo (46) and Nanbol Tali (75 years) in the charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/451/2025, Danjuma Antu (62) in the charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/452/2025 and Silas Iduh Oloche, named in a six-count charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/453/2025.
Out of the nine, only Manjo pleaded guilty to two out of the four counts contained in the charge on which he was arraigned with Tali.
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