By Abiola Olawale
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) on Thursday presented a statement to a Federal Capital Territory(FCT) High Court, revealing details about an alleged invasion of its Abuja ofice by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS).
According to SERAP, the officials who stormed its office in Abuja did so under the guise of fake identities, arriving in two unmarked vehicles that lacked any official markings or insignia.
It would be recalled that in September, SERAP alleged that the DSS invaded its Abuja office. The organization said fhe DSS came unannounced to its office after it called on President Bola Tinubu to probe allegations of corruption in the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited(NNPCL) ascwell as reverse the increase in the pump price of petrol.
However, the DSS in a swift response denied the claims, saying that its operatives visited SERAP’s office as part of “a routine investigation”.
Subsequently, the DSS filed a defamation lawsuit against SERAP, demanding N5 billion in damages.
In the lawsuit, the security agency asserted that SERAP’s alleged false claim harmed its reputation and that of its officials involved.
Meanwhile, in statements of defense filed by SERAP’S legal counsels Tayo Oyetibo, SAN, and Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, SAN, the organisation said that: “one of the two DSS officials who came to SERAP’s Abuja office disguised as ‘Sarah David’ to conceal their real identities, in furtherance of the agency’s bad faith and sinister motives.”
The statement reads further: “SERAP vehemently denies the clothe aims by the DSS and its officials and at the trial shall urge the Court to dismiss the claims in their entirety for being frivolous and vexatious, with substantial costs in favor of SERAP.
“One of the two DSS officials who entered SERAP’s office signed the visitor’s book as “Sarah David” and not “Sarah John” as constituted in this suit. A photocopy of the extract from the visitor’s book showing that the official hid her true identity when she entered SERAP’s premises is hereby pleaded and shall be relied upon.on during the trial.
“The DSS stormed SERAP’s office demanding to see its management staff, demanding official documents in addition to interrogating and questioning its front desk officer.
“SERAP shall during the trial of this suit challenge the competence of this suit on various grounds of law.
“The statement published by SERAP was directed to the DSS as Nigeria’s secret security agency which is notorious for various acts of harassment and intimidation of innocent citizens over the years, and not as the DSS officials as claimed.
“Upon arrival at SERAP’s office, one DSS official parked her private car at the premises of SERAP in the company of two unmarked vehicles occupied by some operatives of the DSS.
“The DSS is not known to make social friends of NGOs dedicated to the promotion of human rights and accountability in Nigeria.
“There is no new leadership in SERAP, and the normal practice for organizations and law enforcement agencies, including the DSS, when inviting NGOs to a meeting is to send letters of invitation to such organizations for record purposes.
“On 17th September 2024, the DSS had, through their Solicitor, Dr. Alex Izinyon SAN, written to SERAP in respect of this matter in which they stated that the publication by SERAP complained of in this Suit was made of and concerning the DSS and not the two DSS officials.
“By a letter dated 23rhonored September 2024, SERAP’s Solicitors Messrs Tayo Oyetibo LP rejected the demands of the DSS as contained in their Solicitor’s letter.
“It was after the exchange of correspondence between the DSS and SERAP, that the two DSS officials instituted this Suit based upon false facts that the publication was made of and concerning them.
“The DSS has made contradictory statements as to the purpose of their unannounced visit and presence in 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 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 organizations 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.
“SERAP does not have a front desk officer in its Abuja Office named “Ruth” and as such puts the Claimants to the strictest proof of the same.
“SERAP has received written invitations for partnerships and collaborations from many public institutions which SERAP has honored and SERAP has a good working relationship with many public institutions in Nigeria, including t, the Bureau of Public Service Reform, of Conduct Bureau, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, National Human Rights Commission and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission.
“One of the two DSS officials requested to see the incorporation documents of SERAP from the front desk officer and when told that the incorporation documents are in the custody of management staff, she requested to see senior officers of SERAP present and when asked why, she repeated that she needs to verify the incorporation documents before leaving.
“While in the Abuja office of SERAP, one of the two DSS officials received various phone calls from her colleagues stationed outside asking her for a signal to come in but she responded to the hearing of the front desk officer that the main people were not in the office and that they should remain stationed outside.
“One of the two DSS officials specifically asked and queried the internal structure of SERAP while asking for the whereabouts of SERAP’s director in addition to inquiring about the location from which the director issues public statements, such as the statement issued on the alleged corruption and mismanagement in the operation of NNPCL and the increase by the NNPCL in the pump price of petrol.
“When the interrogation got heated and out of hand, the front desk officer who was then visibly scared, harassed, and intimidated by the presence of one of the two DSS officials, and the questions, multiple calls received by her and her responses thereto, advised that an official letter be sent to SERAP.
“Owing to the continuous and heated interrogation and improper interrogation tactics by the DSS official, and the presence of unmarked vehicles stationed outside the premises of SERAP, other staff present in the office were apprehensive and afraid, expecting an imminent raid by the operatives stationed outside the office.
“The DSS official only left the office when the front desk officer promised her that a member of SERAP’s management staff or an assigned staff would visit the office of the DSS, hopefully, that day, 9/9/2024.”
Following arguments, the Presiding judge Justice Yusuf Halilu adjourned the matter to the 29th of November 2024 for further hearing.
