SERAP had in September alleged that the DSS invaded its Abuja office, following the enterprise’s letter calling on president Bola Tinubu to probe allegations of corruption in the Nigerian countrywide Petroleum organisation confined (NNPCL) and to reverse the increase within the pump charge of petrol.
The Socio-financial Rights and accountability task (SERAP) informed a Federal Capital Territory high courtroom these days that officers from Nigeria’s mystery police, the branch of country offerings (DSS), who raided their Abuja office, used faux names and arrived in two unmarked automobiles.
SERAP had in September alleged that the DSS invaded its Abuja workplace, following the organisation’s letter calling on president Bola Tinubu to probe allegations of corruption within the Nigerian national Petroleum employer confined (NNPCL) and to opposite the increase in the pump price of petrol.
The DSS then issued a declaration claiming that the visit to SERAP’s workplace changed into “a routine research however two of its officers eventually filed a defamation lawsuit against SERAP, claiming over N5 billion in damages.
Tayo Oyetibo, SAN and Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, SAN within the statements of defence and on oath filed on behalf of SERAP said in court docket that, “one of the DSS officials who got here to SERAP’s Abuja office disguised as ‘Sarah David’ to hide their real identities, in furtherance of the enterprise’s awful faith and sinister motives.”
The senior attorneys also advised the court docket that “the DSS has no operational dependancy or practice of engaging with officials of NGOs, whether to set up a courting with new management or for any social motive whatsoever, and whether in the Federal Capital Territory or elsewhere.”
The suit which got here up today earlier than Justice Yusuf Halilu, courtroom 13 has been adjourned to 29th of November 2024 for in addition hearing.
SERAP’s announcement of defence and statement on oath, study in component: “SERAP vehemently denies the claims by means of the DSS and its officers and on the trial shall urge the court to brush aside the claims of their entirety for being frivolous and vexatious, with giant fees in favour of SERAP.”
“one of the DSS officers who entered SERAP’s office signed the vacationer’s e-book as “Sarah David” and not “Sarah John” as constituted on this fit. A photocopy of the extract from the visitor’s book showing that the authentic hid her authentic identity when she entered SERAP’s premises is hereby pleaded and will be relied upon in the course of trial.”
“The DSS stormed SERAP’s workplace traumatic to look its control group of workers, stressful authentic documents similarly to interrogating and questioning its front table officer.”
“SERAP shall for the duration of the trial of this healthy venture the competence of this healthy on diverse grounds of regulation.”
“The announcement posted by using SERAP was directed to the DSS as Nigeria’s secret safety agency that’s notorious for numerous acts of harassment and intimidation of innocent citizens over time, and not the DSS officers as claimed.”
“Upon arrival at SERAP’s workplace situate, the one DSS professional parked her personal automobile on the premises of SERAP in corporation of two unmarked vehicles occupied through some operatives of the DSS.”
“The DSS isn’t regarded to make social friends of NGOs devoted to the promotion of human rights and responsibility in Nigeria.”
“there may be no new management in SERAP and that the regular practice for public establishments and regulation enforcement agencies consisting of the DSS, whilst inviting NGOs to a meeting is to send letters of invitation to such businesses for report functions.”
“On 17th September 2024 the DSS had, via their Solicitor, Dr Alex Izinyon SAN, written to SERAP in recognize of this remember in which they said that the book of SERAP complained of on this match turned into fabricated from and concerning the DSS, and now not the two DSS officers.”
“with the aid of a letter dated 23rd day of September 2024, SERAP’s Solicitors Messrs Tayo Oyetibo LP rejected the demands of the DSS as contained of their Solicitor’s letter.”
“It turned into after the change of correspondence among the DSS and SERAP, that the 2 DSS officials instituted this match based totally upon fake information that the e-book changed into product of and regarding them.”
“The DSS has made contradictory statements as to the reason of their unannounced visit and presence in SERAP’s Abuja office.”
“The DSS of their public declaration which was issued on tenth September 2024 confirmed that they visited SERAP’s workplace on 9th September 2024 ‘on a recurring research’.”
“The purpose of the ‘visit’ to SERAP’s Abuja office as contained inside the stated public declaration by way of the DSS is completely extraordinary from the reason contained in paragraph 5 of the claimants’, to the impact that: ‘in step with its exercise of attractive with officials of non-governmental enterprises running inside the FCT to establish a courting with their new management, it directed its two officers to go to SERAP’s office and invite its new leadership for a familiarisation meeting.’”
“SERAP does now not have a front table officer in its Abuja office named “Ruth” and as such places the Claimants to the strictest proof of the equal.”
“SERAP has acquired written invites for partnerships and collaborations from many public institutions which SERAP has honoured and SERAP has a terrific running dating with many public establishments in Nigeria, including the Bureau of Public service Reform, Code of conduct Bureau, financial and economic Crimes fee, country wide Human Rights fee and impartial Corrupt Practices and different related Offences fee.”
“one of the DSS officials asked to see the incorporation files of SERAP from the front desk officer and while advised that the incorporation files are in the custody of management personnel, she requested to look senior officers of SERAP present and while requested why, she repeated that she desires to confirm the incorporation documents earlier than leaving.”
“at the same time as within the Abuja workplace of SERAP, one of the two DSS officials received diverse telephone calls from her colleagues stationed outdoor asking her for a sign to are available but she responded to the listening to of the the front table officer that the primary human beings had been not inside the workplace and that they must stay stationed outside.”
“one of the DSS officials mainly requested and queried the internal shape of SERAP even as inquiring for the whereabouts of SERAP’s director similarly to inquiring approximately the place from which the director problems public statements, along with the announcement issued at the alleged corruption and mismanagement inside the operation of NNPCL and the increase by means of the NNPCL inside the pump fee of petrol.”
“when the interrogation got heated and out of hand, the the front table officer who become then visibly scared, careworn and intimidated via the presence of the one of the DSS officials, and the questions, multiple calls acquired by her and her responses thereto, recommended that an legitimate letter be despatched to SERAP.”
“because of the continuous and heated interrogation and wrong interrogation approaches by way of the DSS professional, and the presence of unmarked motors stationed outside the premises of SERAP, different group of workers gift inside the workplace have been apprehensive and afraid, watching for an imminent raid through the operatives stationed out of doors the workplace.”
“The DSS professional simplest left the workplace when the front desk officer promised her that a member of SERAP’s control team of workers or an assigned personnel would visit the office of the DSS, with a bit of luck, that day, nine/nine/2024.”
“After the DSS respectable left SERAP’s Abuja office, the the front table officer called SERAP deputy director and narrated her ordeal with the officers who had left the office, however still entertained fears they may return to arrest all body of workers, which include herself.”
“After the DSS officers signed their names in the SERAP traveller’s e book, their convoy remained stationed at our workplace. therefore, SERAP released a tweet on X (formerly called Twitter) urging President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to train the DSS to give up the harassment, intimidation, and illegal occupation of its premises.”
“Following the tweet referenced above, various media outlets commenced arriving to screen the scenario at SERAP’s Abuja office. Upon noticing the presence of these media companies, the DSS officials’ convoy directly moved their unmarked vehicles in addition from SERAP’s premises and subsequently departed the vicinity.”
“The actions of the DSS officers amount to harassment, intimidation, and sick-remedy and inflicted excessive psychological torture and trauma on the personnel contributors of SERAP to the extent that a few staff in the employment of SERAP had been reluctant to resume whilst directed to do so in fear of being arbitrarily arrested, harassed, intimidated and/or detained with the aid of the DSS.”
“DSS officers never recorded the communique among them and the SERAP the front desk officer as claimed and put the officials to the strictest proof of the same.”
“SERAP is a leading NGO in Nigeria advocating for the safety of human rights in Nigeria and it’s miles loved by Nigerians for the organisation’s proper work and in particular pleads that its public declaration posted on 9/nine/2024 is true and justified.”
“The DSS officials can not claim to have sustained any injury because of the Defendants’ book, as the said e-book by no means stated their names however simplest described the officials who came to SERAP’s workplace.”
“The descriptions of “tall, large, dark-skinned girl and a “slim, dark-skinned man” observe to numerous other body of workers of the DSS and now not simplest to the Claimants, and there’s no manner that members of the public should know the precise officers of DSS who achieved the invasion.”
“In any event, the DSS officers did no longer divulge their true names to the 1st Defendant and consequently the Defendants’ booklet turned into now not, and couldn’t have been, made in admire of the Claimants.”