The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has maintained that operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) unlawfully invaded its Abuja office on September 9, 2024, dismissing reports suggesting that its deputy director had retracted the claim.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, SERAP insisted that its position remains unchanged and is supported by sworn statements and court records.
“We stand by our statements on oath, statements of defence and the correct proceedings in court on Monday, November 24, 2025, to the effect that the DSS unlawfully invaded SERAP’s office on 9 September 2024,” the organisation said.
The DSS operatives had visited the office last year seeking to meet SERAP directors, though the agency later described the visit as a routine investigation.
The security service subsequently filed a N5 billion defamation suit against SERAP, accusing the group of falsely claiming an invasion and alleging that the statement damaged the reputation of the organisation and two of its officials, Sarah John and Gabriel Ogundele.
Reacting to reports of the most recent hearing on November 24, SERAP said some media accounts misrepresented what transpired in court, noting that accurate reports had been carried by national dailies present at the proceedings.
The group said it was duly represented by five senior lawyers from the chambers of Tayo Oyetibo (SAN) and Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa (SAN), and described the suit against it as a Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation (SLAPP).
SERAP added that such actions by authorities against individuals and organisations peacefully expressing their rights run contrary to the Nigerian Constitution and the country’s international human rights obligations, insisting that “these authoritarian practices will surely fail.”
