DSS, SERAP Meet In Court Today Over Alleged Invasion, Defamation Lawsuit
A court in the Federal Capital Territory is scheduled to hear today the lawsuit filed by the Department of State Services (DSS) against the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP).
Naija News recalls that in September, SERAP announced that the DSS had raided its office in Abuja following the organization’s letter urging President Bola Tinubu to investigate allegations of corruption within the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and to reconsider the recent increase in petrol prices.
The DSS subsequently issued a statement asserting that their visit to SERAP’s office was merely a “routine investigation.”
However, two officials from the DSS later initiated a defamation lawsuit against SERAP, seeking damages exceeding ₦5 billion.
On September 17, 2024, the DSS, through their legal representative Dr. Alex Izinyon, communicated with SERAP regarding this issue, asserting that the publication in question pertained to the DSS rather than the two officials involved.
In response, SERAP’s legal team, led by Messrs Tayo Oyetibo LP, formally rejected the DSS’s demands in a letter dated September 23, 2024.
Following this exchange of correspondence, the two DSS officials proceeded to file the lawsuit based on misleading claims that the publication was directed at them.
The DSS has provided explanations regarding the rationale behind their unannounced visit to SERAP’s Abuja office.
The DSS in their public statement which was issued on 10th September 2024 confirmed that they visited SERAP’s office on 9th September 2024 ‘on a routine investigation’.
The purpose of the ‘visit’ to SERAP’s Abuja office as contained in the said public statement by the DSS is allegedly completely different from the purpose contained in paragraph 5 of the claimants’, to the effect that: ‘in line with its practice of engaging with officials of non-governmental organisations operating in the FCT to establish a relationship with their new leadership, it directed its two officials to visit SERAP’s office and invite its new leadership for a familiarisation meeting.’
However, two legal practitioners, Tayo Oyetibo, SAN, and Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, SAN will be representing SERAP in Court 13 before Justice Yusuf Halilu during the hearing today.
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