(DDM) – Relief swept through the family of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member, Daniela Onyinyechi Ekuma, on Saturday, September 6, 2025, as she regained her freedom after two weeks in custody of the Department of State Services (DSS).
Diaspora Digital Media (DDM) gathered that her release was confirmed by her father, Mr. Alfons Ekuma Egwu, in a brief message to journalists.
“Thanks for your concern and assistance. My daughter has been released unhurt,” he said, expressing gratitude to all who intervened.
Daniela’s ordeal began on August 21, 2025, when she travelled from her orientation camp in Ekiti State to Afikpo North, Ebonyi State, to attend her grandmother’s burial.
In the early hours of that Thursday, at about 4am, DSS operatives reportedly stormed the area, arrested her, and took her to their Abakaliki office without explanation.
Her detention sparked outrage after SaharaReporters revealed that the family accused the secret police of abduction and unlawful transfer of the corps member to an undisclosed location.
The case once again cast a spotlight on arbitrary detentions by security agencies, a recurring concern in Nigeria’s South-East.
Observers note that the DSS has frequently been accused of violating due process, raising questions about accountability and respect for human rights.
Two weeks before Onyinyechi’s arrest, SaharaReporters reported another troubling incident in Abia State where a woman, Mrs. Chioma Chikadibia, died after months of depression caused by the detention of her husband and three daughters by police.
The detainees, 63-year-old shoemaker, Mr. Chikadibia Sunday, and his daughters, Glory, Ngozi, and Ogechi, were arrested during a midnight raid in Osisioma Ngwa Local Government Area on April 12, 2025.
Activists warn that such patterns of midnight arrests and prolonged detention without trial undermine the rule of law and erode public trust in security institutions.
For Daniela’s family, however, the relief of her safe return after two weeks of fear and uncertainty cannot be overstated.