BREAKING: DSS Files Terrorism Charges Against Mumuye Youth Leader After Four Years in Detention Without Trial

After spending four years in detention without trial, Ntari Hassan Danladi, a former youth leader from Taraba State, has been officially charged by Nigeria’s Department of State Services (DSS) for alleged links to the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

Danladi, who was arrested on May 6, 2021, while serving as National President of the Mumuye Youths, was apprehended at the Mumuye Cultural Development Association office in Jalingo. Until now, no formal charges had been brought against him.

However, in a letter dated June 14, 2025, the DSS claimed that Danladi, alongside another individual, Joshua Njiwa, travelled to an IPOB camp in Ozu Abam, Abia State, where they allegedly engaged in military training and AK-47 handling exercises.

The DSS cited its reliance on detention orders and invoked the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022 to justify the prolonged detention. A three-count terrorism charge has now been filed by the Office of the Attorney General, with proceedings transferred to a Special Terrorism Court at the Wawa Military Cantonment in Niger State, where Danladi remains in custody.

Initially suspected of involvement with the so-called Middle Belt Ethnic Militia, Danladi had remained in DSS custody without access to open trial or formal prosecution. His legal team has consistently maintained that he has no ties to IPOB, a group declared a terrorist organization by the Federal Government in 2017.

Danladi’s case has sparked criticism from human rights advocates and legal professionals who view the delay in prosecution as a violation of constitutional rights and due process.

Pius Danba Pius, Danladi’s attorney, described the charges as “ridiculous” and politically motivated:

“Danladi has stated repeatedly that he has no links to IPOB. If the government believes otherwise, they should try him in court, not hold him indefinitely without trial.”

He also criticized the lack of transparency:

“The only evidence they claim to have is his own statement in which he categorically denies any association with IPOB.”

Pius further revealed that Danladi’s family has faced significant hardship, with limited contact since he was transferred from the DSS headquarters in Abuja to the remote military facility.

Despite mounting concerns, the DSS insists that its actions are legal, citing valid court authorizations and warning that the contents of its internal correspondence remain classified.