By kawaekwune Jeffrey
Operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) have reportedly stormed the office of the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), a Human Rights organization in Abuja on Monday. The human rights organization reported that the DSS personnel arrived and demanded to see the directors, indicating an intention to arrest them.
In a statement released on Monday morning by the SERAP: “BREAKING: Officers from Nigeria’s State Security Service (SSS) are presently unlawfully occupying SERAP’s office in Abuja, asking to see our directors.
“President Tinubu must immediately direct the SSS to end the harassment, intimidation and attack on the rights of Nigerians.”
SERAP in a statement condemned the action, describing it as an unlawful harassment. The group called on President Tinubu to intervene and stop what they termed as intimidation and an infringement on the rights of Nigerians
The reason for the DSS’s visit is not yet clear, but it is believed to be connected to SERAP’s recent activities, which include its ongoing advocacy for transparency and accountability in the Nigerian government. SERAP has been a prominent critic of the government’s human rights record and has filed multiple lawsuits on behalf of victims of alleged human rights abuses.
The DSS visit to SERAP’s office coincided with an earlier arrest of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) President Joe Ajaero at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja, where he was preparing to board a flight to the United Kingdom. The timing of these events has heightened concerns about the government’s approach to dissent and human rights advocacy.
