Court Reserves Judgment on DSS N5.5B Defamation Suit

The Federal High Court in Maitama, Abuja, has reserved judgment on a N5.5 billion defamation suit filed by two officers of the Department of State Services (DSS), Sarah John and Gabriel Ogundel, against the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP). The suit, marked CV/4547/2024, was announced by Justice Halilu Yusuf on Thursday after both parties adopted their final written addresses.

The claimants, represented by lawyer Kolawol Oluwadar, accused SERAP of making false claims about an alleged invasion of their Abuja office on September 9, 2024. Oluwadar urged the court to grant the relief sought, while SERAP's lawyer, Victoria Bassei, argued that the claimants failed to specify the individuals referred to in the alleged defamatory statements.

The court is expected to deliver its judgment on the matter at a later date.