A Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja is set to deliver judgment on Tuesday, May 5, 2026, in a N5 billion defamation suit filed by the Department of State Services (DSS) against the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP).
The case stems from a September 9, 2024 incident in which SERAP alleged that operatives of the DSS unlawfully invaded its Abuja office following the organisation’s call on President Bola Tinubu to investigate alleged corruption in the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and reverse fuel price increases.
According to SERAP on Monday via its official Facebook page, the organisation reiterated its position that the DSS unlawfully invaded its premises and that its public statements were justified.
The suit, marked FCT/HC/CV/4547/24, was instituted by two DSS officials, Sarah John and Gabriel Ogundele, who claim that SERAP’s publication was defamatory.
In its defence, SERAP has maintained that the DSS officials’ actions amounted to harassment, intimidation, and unlawful intrusion into its premises.
The organisation insisted that its statements were factual, justified, and directed at the DSS as an institution, not at individual officers.
SERAP also alleged inconsistencies in the DSS account of the visit, noting that while the agency described the operation as a “routine investigation,” court filings by the claimants suggested it was merely a familiarisation visit to engage with the organisation’s leadership.
According to the NGO, one of the DSS officials signed the office visitor’s register under a different name, raising questions about identity and intent during the visit.
It further claimed that operatives arrived in unmarked vehicles, interrogated staff, demanded documents, and created an atmosphere of fear among employees.
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The organisation argued that the incident caused psychological distress to its staff, with some reportedly hesitant to return to work over fears of arrest or further harassment.
SERAP, represented by senior lawyers, has urged the court to dismiss the suit in its entirety, describing the claims as frivolous and vexatious.
It also criticised what it termed the growing use of Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs) to silence dissent and restrict civic space.
The group warned that such actions undermine the provisions of the 1999 Constitution and Nigeria’s international human rights obligations.
Tuesday’s ruling is expected to determine whether the DSS claims of defamation hold merit or whether SERAP’s defence will prevail in what has become a closely watched case involving civil liberties and state authority.