The Department of State Services (DSS) has filed a ₦5.5 billion defamation lawsuit against the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), following accusations by the organization of an alleged invasion of its Abuja office by DSS officials.
The lawsuit, filed on October 17 before the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, named SERAP and its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, as defendants. The claimants, two DSS officials, Sarah John and Gabriel Ogundele, allege that SERAP’s public statements on X (formerly Twitter) and its website were false, accusing the DSS of unlawfully occupying their office. According to the DSS, these allegations have severely damaged the reputation of both the organization and the officials involved.
The incident in question took place on September 9, when John and Ogundele visited SERAP’s Abuja office to extend an invitation for a familiarization meeting between the DSS and SERAP’s leadership. They were met by a staff member named Ruth, who requested a formal invitation letter, as the management was said to be out of the country. The interaction, described by the DSS as cordial, was later misrepresented, according to the claimants. SERAP posted on social media, alleging that DSS officers had “invaded” their office and interrogated staff, which the DSS claims sparked public outrage and led to internal investigations and suspensions for the officials involved.
The DSS is now seeking several reliefs from the court, including:
- An apology from SERAP, to be published on its website, X (formerly Twitter), two national newspapers (Punch and Vanguard), and two national television stations (Arise Television and Channels Television) for falsely accusing the DSS and its officials.
- ₦5 billion in damages for the alleged defamation.
- An additional ₦50 million to cover the costs of the legal action.
- Interest on the ₦5 billion at 10 percent per annum from the date of judgment until payment is made.
The case has been assigned to Justice Yusuf Halilu of the High Court of the FCT, but a hearing date has not yet been scheduled.
