Abuja Court Orders SERAP to Pay 100M Naira Damages

A Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja ordered the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, a prominent Nigerian nongovernmental organization, to pay 100 million naira in damages to two Department of State Services operatives on Tuesday for defaming them in online publications. Justice Yusuf Halilu also directed SERAP to issue public apologies to Sarah John and Gabriel Ogundele in two national newspapers, two television stations and on its website, along with one million naira in litigation costs and 10 percent annual post-judgment interest until fully paid.

The ruling stemmed from a defamation suit filed in October 2024 by the two DSS operatives, who sought 5.5 billion naira in total. They accused SERAP and its deputy director, Kolawole Oluwadare, of falsely claiming that DSS officers unlawfully invaded and occupied the organization's office at 18 Bamako Street, Wuse Zone 1, Abuja, on September 9, 2024, while harassing staff.

According to court documents, the operatives described their visit as a routine friendly call to invite SERAP's new leadership to a familiarization meeting, in line with agency practice for engaging nongovernmental organizations in the...