The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), a civil society organisation, told an Abuja high court on Thursday that the Department of State Services (DSS) officials who invaded its office in September used fake names and two unmarked vehicles.
SERAP disclosed this via its official X handle on Thursday.
The organisation also noted that it told the court to dismiss the DSS officials’ lawsuit accusing it of defamation.
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BREAKING: We’ve told an Abuja high court today to dismiss the bogus defamation suit by Nigeria’s secret police DSS for being frivolous and vexatious, with substantial costs. The DSS officials who invaded our Abuja office used fake names and came with two unmarked vehicles.— SERAP (@SERAPNigeria) November 7, 2024
“We have told an Abuja High Court today to dismiss the bogus defamation suit by Nigeria’s security police DSS for being frivolous and vexatious, with substantial costs,” SERAP wrote on Thursday.
“The DSS officials who invaded our Abuja office used fake names and came with two unmarked vehicles. The case has been adjourned to 29th of November 2024 for further hearing.”
READ MORE: DSS Operatives Sue SERAP, Demand N5bn Over ‘False Statements’
On September 9, DSS operatives went to SERAP’s office in Abuja and asked to see the group’s directors. The DSS’ presence in the rights group’s office came 24 hours after it told President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to instruct the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) to reverse the petrol pump price.
Following this incident, the DSS described the rights group’s narration of the incident as skewed and misleading.
READ MORE: DSS Storms SERAP Office a Day After It Told Tinubu to Reverse Petrol Price Hike
In a statement published on the DSS website dated September 10, it said that the two unarmed service operatives were lawfully detailed on a routine investigation to the SERAP office in Abuja.
The DSS operatives also sued SERAP in court for defamation and demanded N5 billion in damages.
The case has been adjourned until November 29 for further hearing.
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