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Court Hears DSS Defamation Suit Against SERAP Today

Published

4 hours ago

Nov 29, 2024.

A Federal Capital Territory (FCT) court will today hear a defamation lawsuit filed by two officials of the Department of State Services (DSS) against the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP).

The case, to be presided over by Justice Yusuf Halilu at Court 13, has drawn attention following SERAP’s legal representation by senior advocates Tayo Oyetibo, SAN, and Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, SAN.

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EKO HOT BLOG reports that the controversy began in September when SERAP accused the DSS of invading its Abuja office. The alleged invasion came after SERAP wrote an open letter urging President Bola Tinubu to investigate corruption allegations within the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and reverse the hike in petrol prices.

In response, the DSS claimed the visit was part of a “routine investigation.” However, two of its officials later filed a defamation suit against SERAP, demanding over N5 billion in damages.

SERAP’s legal team rejected the DSS’s initial demands via correspondence dated September 23, 2024, describing the lawsuit as based on false claims. The organisation also highlighted inconsistencies in the DSS’s explanations for their visit.

In a public statement on September 10, 2024, the DSS claimed its visit to SERAP’s office was part of a routine investigation. However, the officials’ court filing stated the visit was meant to establish a relationship with SERAP’s leadership as part of an engagement with non-governmental organisations in the Federal Capital Territory.

SERAP has described the lawsuit as baseless, emphasizing its commitment to holding public institutions accountable. The case is set to explore the validity of the defamation claims and the DSS’s alleged contradictory statements.

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Observers are closely monitoring the court proceedings, given the implications for civil society and public accountability in Nigeria.