Two operatives from the Department of State Service (DSS) have filed a lawsuit against the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) in the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), claiming that the organization made 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.
