DSS operatives slam N5bn suit against SERAP over alleged defamation

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

Besides seeking a nationalist apology, the information agents are demanding the sum of N5 cardinal arsenic damages suffered arsenic a effect of SERAP’s alleged mendacious publication.

In the suit marked CV/4547/2024 and filed connected October 17 by their squad of lawyers led by Akinlolu Kehinde, SAN, the operatives alleged that SERAP had, successful a station connected its X (Twitter) grip brought them and the DSS to ridicule erstwhile they accused them of invading and interrogating immoderate unit members astatine their Abuja office.

According to Sarah John and Gabriel Ogunleye, 1st and 2nd claimants respectively, the DSS had connected September 9, 2024, directed them to SERAP’s bureau to invitation the caller enactment of the enactment for a familiarization meeting.

John, successful a 43 paragraph connection of claim, said portion she and Ogunleye had driven to SERAP’s bureau successful the Wuse country of the FCT and “were not followed by immoderate different car oregon escorted by immoderate different person,” SERAP, soon aft they near its bureau premises, posted connected X, saying “officers from Nigeria’s DSS are presently unlawfully occupying SERAP’s bureau successful Abuja, asking to spot our directors. President Tinubu indispensable instantly nonstop the SSS to extremity the harassment, intimidation and onslaught connected the rights of Nigerians”.

The claimants said that the tweet and consequent connection by SERAP went viral connected the societal media and was wide circulated and broadcasted successful large media outlets successful the state thereby attracting wide condemnation from the public, including a elder lawyer, Mr Femi Falana.

They claimed further that the condemnation of the DSS has attracted condemnation connected the 2 claimants who had visited SERAP’s bureau connected that September 9, connected the directive of the DSS.

“Several attempts person been made by members of the nationalist to place the claimants arsenic the tall, large, dark-skinned pistillate and the slim, dark-skinned man,” the deponent said.

They further claimed that SERAP’s statements caused harm to their estimation due to the fact that the unit and absorption of the DSS person formed the sentiment that the claimants did not travel orders and carried retired an unsanctioned operation.

“The defendants’ statements caused harm to the claimants’ estimation due to the fact that unit of the DSS person formed the sentiment that the ridicule and criticisms received by the DSS are a effect of the claimants actions.

“As a effect of the defendants’ mendacious statements, the claimants are the taxable of an ongoing probe by the DSS. The claimants were made to marque statements, were taxable to interrogations and faced a disciplinary panel.

“The claimants person been suspended from the DSS pending the result of the ongoing investigation.

“The ongoing probe has placed a immense affectional and intelligence toll connected the claimants.

“The claimants person been ostracized by their colleagues astatine the DSS due to the fact that unit of the DSS judge that the claimants carried retired an unauthorised cognition that has brought disrepute to the DSS,” the deponent added.

While submitting that the statements made by SERAP are libelous due to the fact that they are mendacious and injurious, the DSS agents truthful prayed the tribunal for an bid directing the defendants to tender an apology to them via SERAP’s website, X handle, 2 nationalist newspapers and 2 nationalist quality tv stations, for falsely accusing them of unlawfully invading the bureau and interrogating the staff.

They besides asked the tribunal for an bid directing SERAP to wage them the sum of N5 cardinal arsenic damages for the alleged libelous statements published astir them.

Besides, the DSS operatives are demanding different N50 cardinal arsenic outgo of the action.