A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, has ordered the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) to pay ₦100 million in damages to two operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) for defamation.
The ruling followed a lawsuit filed by the DSS officers, who accused SERAP of making false allegations that they unlawfully invaded the organisation’s Abuja office—claims they said damaged their reputations.
Delivering judgment, the court found SERAP liable for defamation and awarded the damages to the officers, who had sued in their personal capacity.
The case stemmed from a 2024 incident when SERAP publicly claimed that DSS operatives had “invaded” and harassed staff at its office. The DSS, however, maintained that the visit was routine and not an invasion.
The officers argued that the publication subjected them to embarrassment and disciplinary issues, prompting the legal action initially seeking billions in damages before the court awarded ₦100 million.
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