Court Reserves Judgment on DSS N5.5b Defamation Suit

The Federal High Court sitting in Maitama, Abuja, has reserved judgment on a N5.5 billion defamation suit brought by two operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS), Sarah John and Gabriel Ogundel, against the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP). Justice Yusuf announced the decision on Thursday after both parties adopted their final written addresses.

The suit, marked CV/4547/2024, accuses SERAP of making false claims about the DSS's actions during an alleged invasion of SERAP's Abuja office on September 9, 2024. The claimant's lawyer, Kolawol Oluwadar, argued that SERAP's statements were defamatory and sought relief for his clients.

In contrast, SERAP's lawyer, Victoria Bassei, contended that the claims were not specific enough to prove defamation and urged the court to dismiss the suit. The case highlights the ongoing tensions between government agencies and civil society organizations regarding accountability and transparency.