Court to Hear DSS Lawsuit Against SERAP Over Office Invasion Today

By Bayero Ade

A Federal Capital Territory court is scheduled to hear a lawsuit filed by the Department of State Services (DSS) against the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) over allegations of an office invasion.

SERAP announced on its X account Thursday that it would be represented by senior lawyers Tayo Oyetibo, SAN, and Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, SAN, during the court proceedings.

The case originates from an incident in September when SERAP accused the DSS of invading its Abuja office after the organization urged President Bola Tinubu to investigate corruption claims involving the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and to reverse the recent increase in petrol prices. The DSS responded by stating that its visit was merely a “routine investigation.”

The DSS filed the suit on October 17 at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), claiming that SERAP’s statements—issued by two of its officials, Sarah John and Gabriel Ogundele—had harmed its reputation and that of the officials involved.

The case, identified as CV/4547/2024, names SERAP and its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, as defendants. The DSS legal team, led by Akinlolu Kehinde, SAN, is seeking legal remedy for the matter.