DSS officials who ‘invaded’ our office used fake names, unmarked vehicles, SERAP tells court

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) says officials of the Department of State Services (DSS) who invaded the organisation’s office used fake names and came with two unmarked vehicles.

On September 9, SERAP said the DSS agents were “unlawfully occupying” its office in Abuja, the nation’s capital, adding that the operatives had demanded to see its directors.

The secret police described SERAP’s allegations as “malicious” and restated its commitment to professionalism in discharging its duties.

In a suit filed on October 17, the DSS said the claims made by SERAP negatively impacted its reputation and that of Sarah John and Gabriel Ogundele, the two police officials involved.

SERAP and Kolawole Oluwadare, its deputy director, were listed as first and second defendants in the suit marked CV/4547/2024.

In the statements of defence and on oath filed before the court, Tayo Oyetibo and Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, both legal representatives of SERAP, challenged the competence of the suit and prayed the court to dismiss the claims made by the DSS.

SERAP said the “routine investigation” claim by the DSS was false adding that the suit was instituted based on false facts.

“SERAP vehemently denies the claims by the DSS and its officials and at the trial shall urge the Court to dismiss the claims in their entirety for being frivolous and vexatious, with substantial costs in favour of SERAP,” the organisation stated.

“One of the two DSS officials who entered SERAP’s office signed the visitor’s book as ‘Sarah David’ and not ‘Sarah John’ as constituted in this suit.

“Upon arrival at SERAP’s office situate, the one DSS official parked her private car at the premises of SERAP in company of two unmarked vehicles occupied by some operatives of the DSS.

“The purpose of the ‘visit’ to SERAP’s Abuja office as contained in the said public statement by the DSS is completely different from the purpose contained in paragraph 5 of the claimants…

“One of the two DSS officials requested to see the incorporation documents of SERAP from the front desk officer and when told that the incorporation documents are in the custody of management staff, she requested to see senior officers of SERAP present and when asked why, she repeated that she needs to verify the incorporation documents before leaving.

“While in the Abuja office of SERAP, one of the two DSS officials received various phone calls from her colleagues stationed outside asking her for a signal to come in but she responded to the hearing of the front desk officer that the main people were not in the office and that they should remain stationed outside.

“When the interrogation got heated and out of hand, the front desk officer who was then visibly scared, harassed and intimidated by the presence of one of the two DSS officials, and the questions, multiple calls received by her and her responses thereto, advised that an official letter be sent to SERAP.

“Owing to the continuous and heated interrogation and improper interrogation tactics by the DSS official, and the presence of unmarked vehicles stationed outside the premises of SERAP, other staff present in the office were apprehensive and afraid, expecting an imminent raid by the operatives stationed outside the office.

“The DSS official only left the office when the front desk officer promised her that a member of SERAP’s management staff or an assigned staff would visit the office of the DSS, hopefully, that day, 9/9/2024.”

The statement further disclosed that the DSS only left the premises completely after journalists arrived following a tweet by SERAP.

“The DSS officials cannot claim to have sustained any injury as a result of the defendants’ publication, as the said publication never mentioned their names but only described the officers who came to SERAP’s office,” the statement added.

The suit, which came up on Thursday before Yusuf Halilu, presiding judge, has been adjourned to November 29 for further hearing.