Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has reiterated the organisation’s statements on oath and statements of defence filed before the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Abuja, insisting that officials of the Department of State Services (DSS) unlawfully invaded its Abuja office, used fake names, and arrived in two unmarked vehicles.
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SERAP had on 9 September 2024 alleged that the DSS invaded its Abuja office following the organisation’s letter urging President Bola Tinubu to probe alleged corruption in the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and reverse the increase in petrol pump price.
However, the organisation said claims that its deputy director “admits no invasion” during Monday’s court proceedings were “entirely incorrect.”
In a statement dated 25 November 2025 and signed by its deputy director, Kolawole Oluwadare, SERAP said: “Our attention has been drawn to certain inaccuracies in recent reports by some media organisations regarding the court proceedings of Monday, 24 November 2025, in the SLAPP lawsuit filed against SERAP by the DSS at the High Court of the FCT, Abuja.
“The reports conveyed impressions that do not reflect what transpired in open court and may inadvertently misinform the public.
“For clarity, the reports that SERAP’s deputy director ‘admits no invasion’ of our Abuja office are entirely incorrect.
“We stand by our statements of defence and statements on oath filed in court by our lawyers, Tayo Oyetibo, SAN, and Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, SAN, and by the correct reporting of what happened in court — that the DSS unlawfully invaded our Abuja office.”
SERAP noted that the accurate details of the proceedings had already been published by several reputable newspapers, including Punch, The Guardian, Leadership, Daily Trust, Blueprint, and Vanguard.
The organisation maintained that it had been properly represented in court in the Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation (SLAPP) filed against it by the DSS, including on Monday, when five experienced lawyers from the chambers of Oyetibo and Adegboruwa appeared for SERAP.
According to SERAP, the use of SLAPP suits by Nigerian authorities to silence citizens exercising their rights is “antithetical to the 1999 Constitution and Nigeria’s international human rights obligations.”
“These authoritarian practices will surely fail and those behind them will be held to account,” it stated.
SERAP’s statements on oath, filed in court, read in part:
“SERAP vehemently denies the claims by the DSS and its officials and shall urge the court at trial to dismiss the claims in their entirety for being frivolous and vexatious, with substantial costs.”
“One of the two DSS officials who entered SERAP’s office signed the visitor’s book as ‘Sarah David’ and not ‘Sarah John’ as stated in this suit. A photocopy of the visitor’s book extract showing that the official hid her true identity is hereby pleaded.”
“The DSS stormed SERAP’s office, demanded to see its management staff, requested official documents, and interrogated the front desk officer.”
SERAP also argued that the suit is incompetent and that the DSS has made contradictory statements about the purpose of the visit.
The organisation further stated that while the DSS claimed its officials visited SERAP for a “familiarisation meeting with its new leadership,” the agency had earlier admitted in a 10 September 2024 public statement that the visit was “a routine investigation.”
SERAP added that it has no front desk officer named “Ruth,” contrary to the claim by the DSS, and put the agency to strict proof.
It also detailed how one of the DSS officials interrogated its staff, requested incorporation documents, made multiple calls to operatives stationed outside in unmarked vehicles, and caused fear among SERAP employees who anticipated an imminent raid.
SERAP said the intimidation only stopped after the front desk officer promised that a management staff member would visit the DSS office later that day.
After leaving, the DSS convoy allegedly remained outside, prompting SERAP to issue a public alert on X (formerly Twitter), which attracted media attention and forced the operatives to withdraw.
SERAP insisted that the DSS officials suffered no injury from its publication, as the statement did not mention their names.
The suit, filed by Sarah John and Gabriel Ogundele, both DSS officials, is before Justice Yusuf Halilu of the FCT High Court, Abuja.
The case has been adjourned to 19 February 2026 for the adoption of final written addresses.
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