Court Orders SERAP to Pay ₦100m Damages, Apologise to DSS Operatives Over Defamation
By Trek Africa Newspaper
A Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Abuja has ordered the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) to pay ₦100 million in damages and issue public apologies to two operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) over a defamatory publication.
The judgment, delivered by Justice Yusuf Halilu, followed a suit filed by the DSS operatives—Sarah John and Gabriel Ogundele—who accused SERAP of making false and injurious claims against them.
The controversy stemmed from a publication issued by SERAP on September 9, 2024, in which the organisation alleged that officials of the DSS invaded its Abuja office and harassed its staff. The claim, according to the plaintiffs, was untrue and had caused significant reputational damage.
