SERAP's Appeals Delayed by Late Brief Filing in Court

The Court of Appeal in Abuja adjourned the hearing of appeals filed by the Incorporated Trustees of the Socio-economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) and its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, against a ₦101 million judgment debt. The hearing was stalled on October 9, 2026, due to the late filing of briefs by the appellants.

The appeals are against a May 5 judgment by Justice Halilu Yusuf of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, which ruled that SERAP and Oluwadare defamed two officials of the Department of State Services (DSS) through a false publication on September 10, 2024. During the proceedings, the court expressed dissatisfaction with the late filing of Oluwadare's brief, which was submitted just before the court session.

The court decided to set aside the earlier proceedings of SERAP's appeal, as both appeals are related, and adjourned the hearing until October 13, 2026, requiring the respondents to file their briefs by October 12, 2026.