SERAP Wins N100m Defamation Case Against DSS Officials

The Federal High Court in Abuja, presided over by Justice Yusuf Halilu, awarded the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) N100 million in damages against two officials of the Department of State Services (DSS), Sarah John and Gabriel Ogundel, for defamation. The court also ordered SERAP to publish a public apology and pay N1 million in litigation costs, with a 10% annual interest on the damages until fully paid.

This judgment has triggered strong reactions from over 50 civil society organizations, including Amnesty International, which warned of the ruling's far-reaching implications for anti-corruption campaigns and public accountability. The case arose from allegations that DSS officials visited SERAP's Abuja office without prior notice, which SERAP claimed was an act of intimidation.

The judgment is viewed as a critical test of the ability of advocacy organizations to scrutinize state institutions without facing severe legal repercussions, raising concerns about the shrinking civic space in Nigeria.