A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Maitama has postponed further hearing in the N5.5billion defamation suit filed by the Department of State Services (DSS) against a group, the Socio-economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), to November 24.

The postponement was informed by the inability of the court to sit on Wednesday owing to the absence of Justice Halilu Yusuf.

Defendants in the suit – SERAP and its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare – were expected to open their defence on Wednesday following their failure to do so on October 16 when the case last came up.

In the suit, marked: CV/4547/2024, filed in the names of two officials of DSS – Sarah John and Gabriel Ogundele – the claimants accused the defendants of making a false claim that John and Ogundele invaded SERAP’s Abuja office.

The claimant stated, among others, that the alleged false claim by SERAP has negatively impacted its reputation and that of the two officials involved.

They also stated, in their statement of claim, that, in line with its practice of engaging with officials of non-governmental organisations operating in the FCT to establish a relationship with their new leadership, it directed the two officials – John and Ogunleye – to visit SERAP’s office and invite its new leadership for a familiarisation meeting.

The claimants added that in carrying out the directive, John and Ogunleye paid a friendly visit to SERAP’s office at 18 Bamako Street, Wuse Zone 1, Abuja on September 9 and met with one Ruth, who upon being informed about the purpose of the visit, claimed that none of SERAP’s management staff was in the country and advised that a formal letter of invitation be written by the DSS.

John and Ogundele, who claimed that their interactions with Ruth were recorded, said that before they immediately exited SERAP’s office, Ruth promised to inform her organisation’s management about the visit and volunteered a phone number – 08160537202.

They said it was surprising that, shortly after their visit, SERAP posted on its X (Twitter) handle: @SERAPNigeria, that officers of the DSS are presently unlawfully occupying its office.

The claimant added that “on the same day, the defendants also published a statement on SERAP’s website, which was widely reported by several media outfits, falsely alleging that some officers from the DSS, described as “a fall, large, dark-skinned woman” and “a slim, dark skinned man,” invaded their Abuja office and interrogated the staff of the first defendant (SERAP).

John and Ogundele stated that “due to the false statements published by the defendants, the DSS has been ridiculed and criticised by international agencies such as Amnesty International and prominent members of the Nigerian society, such as Femi Falana (SAN).

“Due to the false statements published by the defendants, members of the public and the international community formed the opinion that the Federal Government is using the DSS to harass the defendants.”

They added that the defendants’ statements caused harm to the claimants’ reputation because the staff and management of the DSS have formed the opinion that the claimants did not follow orders and carried out an unsanctioned operation, and are therefore incompetent and unprofessional.

The claimants are therefore praying the court for the following reliefs:

*An order directing the defendants to tender an apology to the claimants via the first defendant’s (SERAP’s) website, X (twitter) handle, two national daily newspapers (Punch and Vanguard) and two national news television stations (Arise Television and Channels Television) for falsely accusing the claimants of unlawfully invading the first defendant’s office and interrogating the first defendant’s staff.

*An order directing the defendants to pay the claimants the sum of N5billion as damages for the libellous statements published about the claimants.

*Interest on the sum of N5b at the rate of 10 percent per annum from the date of judgment until the judgment sum is realised or liquidated.

*AN order directing the defendants to pay the claimants the sum of N50million as costs of this action.

Source; The Nation News