Nigerian Court Orders Rights Group to Pay Damages in Defamation Case Involving State Security Agency.
A High Court in Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory has ordered the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), a prominent civil society organization, to pay 100 million naira (approximately $70,000 USD) in damages to officials of the Department of State Services (DSS) over a defamation lawsuit.
Delivering judgment on Tuesday, Justice Yusuf Halilu also directed SERAP to issue public apologies, pay an additional 1 million naira in legal costs, and a 10 percent annual interest on the damages until the full amount is settled.
The case was brought by two DSS officials, Sarah John and Gabriel Ogundele, following statements released by SERAP in September 2024. In those statements, the organization alleged that DSS operatives unlawfully entered its office in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.
In response to the ruling, SERAP rejected the judgment, describing it as a setback for civil liberties. The group warned that the decision could have broader implications for freedom of expression and government accountability in Nigeria.
SERAP maintained that its statements were made in the public interest and in line with legal and advocacy standards.