Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, has reiterated the organization’s statements on oath and statements of defence filed before a Federal Capital Territory High Court, Abuja that the officials of Nigeria’s secret police, the Department of State Services (DSS) unlawfully invaded its Abuja office, used fake names and came with two unmarked vehicles.”
SERAP had on 9 September 2024 alleged that the DSS invaded its Abuja office, following the organisation’s letter calling on president Bola Tinubu to probe allegations of corruption in the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL, and to reverse the increase in the pump price of petrol.
But the organization said today that, “the claims following the court proceedings that the deputy director ‘admits no invasion’ of our Abuja office in his testimony in court are entirely incorrect.”
SERAP’s statement dated 25 November 2025 and signed by its deputy director Kolawole Oluwadare, read in part: “Our attention has been drawn to certain inaccuracies in the recent reports by some media organisations about the court proceedings on Monday, 24 November 2025, in the SLAPP lawsuit filed against SERAP by the DSS at the High Court of the FCT Abuja.”
“The reports conveyed impressions that do not reflect what transpired in open court and may inadvertently misinform the public.”
“For clarity, the reports that SERAP deputy director ‘admits no invasion’ of our Abuja office are entirely incorrect.”
“We stand by our statements of defence and statements on oath filed in court by our lawyers Tayo Oyetibo, SAN and Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, SAN, and the correct reporting of what actually happened in court on Monday 24 November 2025 that the DSS unlawfully invaded our Abuja office.”
“The correct proceedings in court and the summary of the facts of what exactly happened in court have been accurately covered by several leading Nigerian newspapers, including Punch, Guardian, Leadership, Daily Trust, Blueprint, and Vanguard newspapers whose reporters were present in court.”
“SERAP has been well represented in court in the Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation (SLAPP) and baseless lawsuit against our organisation by Nigeria’s DSS including on Monday, 24 November 2025, when 5 highly experienced lawyers from both the law firms of Tayo Oyetibo, SAN and Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, SAN represented SERAP in court.”
“The use of Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs) lawsuits by the Nigerian authorities against our organisation and other Nigerians peacefully exercising their human rights is antithetical to the Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended] and the country’s international human rights obligations.”
According to the organization, SERAP’s statements of defence and statements on oath filed in court, read in part: “SERAP vehemently denies the claims 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 favour of SERAP.”
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