Tag: dss

The Department of State Services (DSS) has instituted a N5.5 billion defamatory suit against the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP). The Service said SERAP made false claim that its operatives invaded SERAP’s Abuja office.

The DSS, in the suit filed in the names of two of its officials; Sarah John and Gabriel Ogundele, stated that the alleged false claim by SERAP had negatively impacted on its reputation and that of the two officials involved.

The suit was filed on Oct. 17 by the security outfit through its team of lawyers, led by Akinlolu Kehinde, SAN, at the HIgh Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

In the suit marked: CV/4547/2024, the DSS sued SERAP and its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, as 1st and 2nd defendants.

The service, in its statement of claim, averred 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 the two of its officials;  to visit SERAP’s office and invite its new leadership for a familiarisation meeting.

It said in carrying out the directive, John and Ogunleye paid a friendly visit to SERAP’s office at 18 Bamako Street, Wuse Zone 1, Abuja on Sept. 9 and met with one Ruth.

It said Ruth, upon being informed about the purpose of the visit, claimed that none of SERAP’s  management staff was in the country and advised that a formal letter of invitation be written by the DSS.

The DSS, who claimed that their interactions with Ruth were recorded, said before they immediately exited SERAP’s office, Ruth promised to informed her organisation’s management about the visit and volunteered a phone number – 08160537202.

It said it was surprising that shortly after their visit, SERAP posted on its X (Twitter) handle: @SERAPNigeria, claiming that officers of the DSS are presently unlawfully occupying its office.

“On the same day, the defendants also published a statement on SERAP’s  website, which was widely reported by several media outfits.

SERAP alleging that some officers from the DSS, described as ‘a fall, large, dark-skinned woman’ and ‘a slim, dark skinned man,’ invaded their Abuja office and interrogated the staff of the first defendant.

“In their statement, the defendants also urged the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to immediately direct the DSS to end its intimidation, harassment and attack against the first defendant and the threat of arrest against its directors.

“Due to the false statements published by the defendants, the DSS has been ridiculed and criticised by international agencies such as the Amnesty International and prominent members of the Nigerian society, such as Femi Falana, SAN.

“Due to the false statements published by the defendants, members of the public and the international community formed the opinion that the Federal Government is using the DSS to harass the defendants,” it said.

The agency added that the defendants’ statements caused harm to the claimants’ reputation because the staff and management of the DSS had formed the opinion that the claimants did not follow orders and carried out an unsanctioned operation and are therefore,
incompetent and unprofessional.

It also stated that the defendants’ statements caused harm to the claimants’ reputation because staff of the DSS had formed the opinion that the ridicule and criticisms received by the DSS are a result of the claimants actions.

It added that as a result of the defendants’ false statements, the claimants are the subject of an ongoing investigation by the DSS.

It said John and Ogundele  had been made to make statements, subjected to interrogations, faced a disciplinary panel and now suspended from the DSS pending the outcome of the ongoing investigation.

The service therefore prayed the court for an order directing the defendants to tender an apology to the claimants via the first defendant’s (SERAP’s) website, X (twitter) handle.

The apology, the DSS said, must be published in two national daily newspapers (Punch and Vanguard) and two national news television stations (Arise Television and Channels Television).

“An order directing the defendants to pay the claimants the sum of N5 billion as damages for the libellous statements published about the claimants.

“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.

It was observed that the case, now assigned to Justice Yusuf Halilu of Court 13 of the High Court of the FCT, is yet to be scheduled for hearing.

“We’ll see in court” – SERAP tells DSS

Meanwhile, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has rejected defamation lawsuit filed by the DSS, describing it as “baseless”.

“We reject the baseless defamation lawsuit against us by the DSS, following the invasion of our Abuja office. We’re talking to our lawyers and will be filing our counter-claims. We’ll see in court to stop this intimidation and attack on the rights of Nigerians,” SERAP wrote via X.

Two operatives of the Department of State Service, DSS, have dragged the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, before a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, for allegedly making false allegations against them.

Besides seeking a public apology, the security agents are demanding the sum of N5 billion as damages suffered as a result of SERAP’s alleged false publication.

In the suit marked CV/4547/2024 and filed on October 17 by their team of lawyers led by Akinlolu Kehinde, SAN, the operatives alleged that SERAP had, in a post on its X (Twitter) handle brought them and the DSS to ridicule when they accused them of invading and interrogating some staff members at their Abuja office.

According to Sarah John and Gabriel Ogunleye, 1st and 2nd claimants respectively, the DSS had on September 9, 2024, directed them to SERAP’s office to invite the new leadership of the organization for a familiarization meeting.

John, in a 43 paragraph statement of claim, said while she and Ogunleye had driven to SERAP’s office in the Wuse area of the FCT and “were not followed by any other car or escorted by any other person,” SERAP, shortly after they left its office premises, posted on X, saying “officers from Nigeria’s DSS 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”.

The claimants said that the tweet and subsequent statement by SERAP went viral on the social media and was widely circulated and broadcasted in major media outlets in the country thereby attracting wide condemnation from the public, including a senior lawyer, Mr Femi Falana.

They claimed further that the condemnation of the DSS has attracted condemnation on the two claimants who had visited SERAP’s office on that September 9, on the directive of the DSS.

“Several attempts have been made by members of the public to identify the claimants as the tall, large, dark-skinned woman and the slim, dark-skinned man,” the deponent said.

They further claimed that SERAP’s statements caused harm to their reputation because the staff and management of the DSS have formed the opinion that the claimants did not follow orders and carried out an unsanctioned operation.

“The defendants’ statements caused harm to the claimants’ reputation because staff of the DSS have formed the opinion that the ridicule and criticisms received by the DSS are a result of the claimants actions.

“As a result of the defendants’ false statements, the claimants are the subject of an ongoing investigation by the DSS. The claimants were made to make statements, were subject to interrogations and faced a disciplinary panel.

“The claimants have been suspended from the DSS pending the outcome of the ongoing investigation.

“The ongoing investigation has placed a huge emotional and psychological toll on the claimants.

“The claimants have been ostracized by their colleagues at the DSS because staff of the DSS believe that the claimants carried out an unauthorised operation that has brought disrepute to the DSS,” the deponent added.

While submitting that the statements made by SERAP are libelous because they are false and injurious, the DSS agents therefore prayed the court for an order directing the defendants to tender an apology to them via SERAP’s website, X handle, two national newspapers and two national news television stations, for falsely accusing them of unlawfully invading the office and interrogating the staff.

They also asked the court for an order directing SERAP to pay them the sum of N5 billion as damages for the alleged libelous statements published about them.

Besides, the DSS operatives are demanding another N50 million as cost of the action.