SERAP Sues DSS For Invasion And Defamation, Case Heard In Court Today

SERAP Sues DSS For Invasion And Defamation, Case Heard In Court TodayA court in the Federal Capital Territory is set to hear the lawsuit filed by the Department of State Services (DSS) against the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) today. The case follows a series of events sparked by the DSS’s visit to SERAP’s office in Abuja in September 2024.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

SERAP had alleged that the DSS raided its office in response to a letter it sent to President Bola Tinubu, urging him to investigate corruption within the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPCL) and to reconsider the recent fuel price hikes. The DSS, however, stated that its visit to SERAP’s office was a “routine investigation” and not a raid.

Following this, two DSS officials filed a defamation lawsuit against SERAP, seeking damages exceeding ₦5 billion. The lawsuit was based on claims that the publication made by SERAP was directed at the officials personally, rather than at the DSS as an institution. In response, SERAP’s legal team, led by prominent lawyers Tayo Oyetibo, SAN, and Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, SAN, rejected the DSS’s demands.

On September 17, 2024, the DSS, through its legal representative Dr. Alex Izinyon, formally communicated its stance to SERAP, stating that the defamatory publication was aimed at the agency rather than the individuals involved. SERAP responded on September 23, 2024, asserting that the DSS’s claims were misleading.

The DSS, in a public statement issued on September 10, 2024, confirmed that its officials visited SERAP’s office on September 9, 2024, as part of a routine investigation. The agency explained that the purpose of the visit was to engage with the leadership of non-governmental organizations in the FCT. However, the DSS’s explanation contrasts with the claimants’ assertion that the visit was a familiarization meeting with the new leadership at SERAP’s office.

Today, the case will be heard in Court 13 before Justice Yusuf Halilu, where SERAP’s legal team will defend their position against the DSS’s defamation claims.

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