The final written address in the $ 5 billion defamation lawsuit brought by the Department of State Services against the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project was adjourned for adoption on Monday by Justice Yusuf Halilu of the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Maitama.
The DSS’s officials, Sarah John and Gabriel Ogundele, filed the lawsuit with the number FCT/HC/CV/4547/24.
Kolawole Oluwadare, the second defendant, opened its defense at the second hearing on Monday after the court granted a housekeeping request for process amendment.
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Oluwadare, who took the oath to testify before the court, clarified the organization’s activities as well as the circumstances surrounding the alleged invasion of its Abuja office by the DSS operatives.
He explained to the court that SERAP is a recognized non-profit organization dedicated to promoting social justice, accountability, and transparency.
The second defendant insisted that SERAP’s goal is to advance and defend human rights, including socio-economic rights, in the public’s overall interests, rejecting any claims that the organization is only there to criticize the government.
He claimed that SERAP’s efforts to hold public institutions accountable were severely hampered by the harassment and intimidation of civic actors.
He claims that SERAP uses both local and international donor funds.
The witness claimed that the DSS operatives stormed the organization’s office, prompting him to inform the court when he answered questions during cross-examination.
A front-desk officer, a security guard, and a lawyer were among the many SERAP staff members who reported seeing the officials, he told the court.
Oluwadare acknowledged that he made some harsh statements about the Department of State Service (DSS) that were inappropriate and that were “unlawful, invasion, intimidation, and harrassment.”
The witness who also acknowledged that SERAP has received information from one Vivian Amadi, a front desk officer and receptionist for the organization, admitted using the words in the publications.
In a N5 billion defamation lawsuit brought against SERAP by two DSS operatives, Sarah John and Gabriel Ogundele, Oluwadare admitted using the words while being cross-examined by Oluwagbemileke Samuel Kehinde.
According to the witness, the publications were based on the presence of two DSS officers in the SERAP office on September 9, 2024.
When Vivian Amadi called to let him know that the DSS officers were present in his organization’s compound, he claimed he was not in the office.
According to the information that was provided to him, Oluwadare, who was subject to two exhibits and publications against DSS, read out the first sentence of one of those publications where the alleged harsh words were used.
He called on President Bola Tinubu to order DSS officers in the publication published on the SERAP website and raised the alarm that the organization had unlawfully invaded and harassed its employees.
He disagreed, though, that the statements made in the publications constitute serious allegations against the two defendants.
The witness also acknowledged that he had not previously consulted with DSS before publishing the publications on SERAP’s website.
He acknowledged that no staff member was physically assaulted by the security officers while the two DSS officers were present at the SERAP office. No property was seized or damaged.
The SERAP witness claimed in response to a question that the DSS officers did not break any doors to enter the organization’s offices.
He added that the security agents did not use any weapons, but that Sarah John, the first claimant, was making calls to other officers demanding that they leave the SERAP building.
He claimed to have access to the organization’s office’s CCTV footage of the DSS officers.
Prior to his testimony in chief, the witness was led by lawyer Oluwatosin Adesioye, who had previously adopted his witness statement under oath.
Justice Halilu Yusuf has set the deadline for the parties’ final addresses to be adopted on February 19, 2026.
The defendants were accused of fabricating a false claim that John and Ogundele had invaded SERAP’s Abuja office by the claimants in the lawsuit filed in the names of two DSS officials, Sarah John and Gabriel Ogundele.
The claimant also claimed, among other things, that SERAP’s alleged false claim has had a negative effect on both the organization’s reputation and the two involved officials.
In their statement of claim, they further stated that in accordance with its policy of collaborating with non-governmental organization representatives in the FCT to establish a relationship with their new leadership, it ordered the two officials, John and Ogunleye, to visit SERAP’s office and request a meeting with its new leadership.
The claimants further explained that John and Ogunleye made a friendly visit to SERAP’s headquarters in Wuse Zone 1, Abuja, on September 9 and met with one Ruth, who informed them that none of the management staff members were present, and that the DSS should send a formal letter of invitation.
Before they left SERAP’s office, Ruth promised to inform the management of her organization about the visit and provided a phone number, 08160537202. According to John and Ogundele, who claimed their interactions with Ruth were recorded, she claimed to have provided a phone number to 08160537202.
They expressed surprise that SERAP announced on its X (Twitter) handle @SERAPNigeria that DSS officers are currently unlawfully occupying its office shortly after their visit.
The claimant added that “on the same day, the defendants falsely claimed that some DSS officers, who were described as “a tall, large, dark-skinned woman” and “a slim, dark-skinned man,” “invaded their Abuja office and interrogated the staff of the first defendant (SERAP),” and that “the defendants also published a statement on SERAP’s website, which was widely reported by several media outfits.
According to John and Ogundele, “the DSS has been ridiculed and criticized by prominent members of the Nigerian society, such as Femi Falana (SAN), and due to the false statements made by the defendants.”
Members of the public and the international community concluded that the Federal Government is harassing the defendants by using the DSS as a result of the false statements made by the defendants.
They added that because the DSS’s staff and management believed the defendants did not follow orders and carried out an unsanctioned operation, they are therefore incompetent and unprofessional, the defendants’ statements damaged their reputation.
Therefore, the claimants are asking the court for the following reliefs:
*An order directing the defendants to apologize to the claimants via the first defendant’s (SERAP’s) website, X (twitter), two national daily newspapers (Punch and Vanguard), and two national news television stations (Arise Television and Channels Television) for falsely accusing them of unlawfully occupying the first defendant’s office and interrogating the first defendant’s staff.
*An order ordering the defendants to pay the claimants N5 billion as compensation for the lies that were made about the claimants.
*Interest on the N5b sum at a rate of 10% per year from the judgment date until the judgment sum is realized or liquidated.
Source: Channels TV
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