For an alleged fraudulent allegation that damaged its reputation, the Department of State Services has requested N5.5 billion in damages from the civil society organisation (CSO) Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP).
The DSS agents were “illegally occupying” SERAP’s office in the capital of the country, Abuja, last month, and they had requested to meet its directors.
The purported invasion occurred within twenty-four hours after SERAP called on President Bola Tinubu to order the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) to undo the increase in the price of petrol at the pump.
Additionally, the organisation urged Tinubu to order the DSS to stop harassing, intimidating, and attacking Nigerians’ privacy.
In a statement, the DSS explained that the call was a regular investigation but did not deny visiting the SERAP headquarters.
The secret police reaffirmed their dedication to professionalism in carrying out their responsibilities and called SERAP’s accusations “malicious.”
The DSS claimed in a lawsuit filed on October 17 that the allegations made by SERAP had a detrimental effect on both its and the reputations of the two implicated police officers, Sarah John and Gabriel Ogundele.
In the lawsuit designated CV/4547/2024, SERAP and its deputy director, Kolawole Oluwadare, were named as the first and second defendants, respectively.
The lawsuit claims that the DSS’s visit to SERAP’s headquarters was in line with its custom of interacting with representatives of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) that are active in the federal capital territory (FCT) to build rapport with their recently appointed leadership.
The secret police stated that a SERAP employee who received its officers noted that no management official was present in the nation and suggested that a formal invitation letter be sent.
Before its agents left SERAP’s office, the NGO worker offered a phone number and pledged to notify the organization’s management about the visit, according to the DSS, which said that its conversations with the SERAP employee were recorded.
The agency said it was surprising to see the allegations after the encounter.
“An order directing the defendants to pay the claimants the sum of N5 billion as damages for the libellous statements published about the claimants,” the DSS prayed to the court.
“Interest on the sum of N5 billion at the rate of 10 per cent per annum from the date of judgment until the judgment sum is realised or liquidated.
“An order directing the defendants to pay the claimants the sum of N50 million as costs of this action.”
Additionally, the DSS requested an injunction requiring the defendants to apologise to the claimants through the X handle and SERAP website.
The secret police demanded that the apology be broadcast on two national news television channels (Channels Television and Arise Television) and two national daily newspapers (Punch and Vanguard).
Meanwhile, the case is yet to be scheduled for a hearing.