The Department of State Services (DSS) has clarified that it did not directly institute the defamation suit against the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), saying the legal action was filed by two of its operatives in their personal capacities.
The clarification followed the judgment of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, which awarded ₦100 million in damages to two DSS officials, Sarah John and Gabriel Ogundele, over allegations made by SERAP in September 2024.
Justice Yusuf Halilu had ruled in favour of the operatives, ordering SERAP to pay the damages, issue public apologies, and also pay ₦1 million as litigation costs, alongside a 10 per cent annual post-judgment interest on the judgment sum until it is fully settled.
SERAP had accused DSS operatives of unlawfully invading its Abuja office and harassing its staff, an allegation that later became the subject of the lawsuit.
Reacting to public reports on the judgment, the DSS, in a statement issued on Wednesday by its Deputy Director of Public Relations and Strategic Communications, Favour Dozie, stressed that the case was not instituted by the agency itself.
“The Service hereby reiterates that the suit was not between DSS as an organisation and Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP),” the statement said.
“Rather, it was a case filed by two of our operatives, who in the course of their lawful duty, felt defamed by SERAP, claiming that they, on September 9, 2024, unlawfully invaded their Abuja office and harassed their staff.”
According to the agency, it launched an internal investigation into the allegations levelled against the operatives before the matter proceeded to court.
“An investigation into the claims by SERAP against the operatives was immediately initiated,” Dozie stated.
“Following the outcome of the investigation, the said operatives felt the need to seek redress in their personal capacity and subsequently sought and obtained the approval of the Director-General, State Services, to approach the Court. The Court granted their reliefs and awarded the sum of ₦100m to the duo.”
The DSS further maintained that it remained committed to protecting officers who discharge their duties lawfully, while also sanctioning personnel found guilty of misconduct.
“As an Agency, DSS has an obligation to protect its staff who carry out their duties in a lawful manner. At the same time, sanction erring operatives found to have breached the Nigerian laws and our extant regulations,” the statement added.
“We have demonstrated this time and again by prosecuting some of our staff for various offenses in competent courts.”
SERAP on it’s part has rejected the court ruling, describing it as unacceptable and a threat to civic freedoms in the country.
