The Department of State Services (DSS) has clarified that the N100 million defamation suit decided in favour of two of its operatives was not filed by the agency, but by the officers in their personal capacities against the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP). In a statement obtained by TVC……
The Department of State Services (DSS) has clarified that the N100 million defamation suit decided in favour of two of its operatives was not filed by the agency, but by the officers in their personal capacities against the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP).
In a statement obtained by TVC News on Wednesday, the Deputy Director of Public Relations and Strategic Communications at DSS National Headquarters, Favour Dozie, said that personnel who were accused of invading the SERAP Abuja office felt the need to seek redress and instituted the litigation after seeking and obtaining the approval of the Director-General, State Services.
According to the statement, DSS said it has “been drawn to several publications” which, according to it, “have not put the matter in proper perspective.”
The statement reads, “The attention of the Department of State Services (DSS) has been drawn to several publications, in reaction to the above case and attendant judgment delivered in favour of two officials of ours who instituted the litigation. Some of these publications have not put the matter in proper perspective.
“The Service hereby reiterates that the suit was not between DSS as an organisation and Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP). Rather, it was a case filed by two of our operatives, who in the course of their lawful duty, felt defamed by SERAP, claiming that they, on September 9, 2024, unlawfully invaded their Abuja office and harassed their staff.”
The statement added, “An investigation into the claims by SERAP against the operatives was immediately initiated. Following the outcome of the investigation, the said operatives felt the need to seek redress in their personal capacity, and subsequently sought and obtained the approval of the Director-General, State Services, to approach the Court.”
The statement further disclosed that the court also ordered SERAP to issue a public apology on its official website and publish the apology in The Punch and Vanguard newspapers. The court also directed that the apology be aired on Arise Television and Channels Television.
“The Court granted their reliefs and awarded the sum of N100m to the duo. In addition, the Court ordered SERAP to issue an apology on its website, as well as in Punch and Vanguard newspapers. The apology is also to run on Arise and Channels TV stations,” DSS added.
The agency further disclosed that “The court added that the N100 million awarded to the operatives as general damages shall attract a 10% interest rate per annum from May 5, 2026, until the sum is fully paid.”
The agency reaffirmed its commitment to protecting personnel who carry out their duties lawfully, noting that it would ensure that erring operatives are sanctioned if found guilty of breaching Nigerian laws and its extant regulations.
DSS said, “As an Agency, DSS has an obligation to protect its staff who carry out their duties in a lawful manner. At the same time, sanction erring operatives found to have breached the Nigerian Laws and our extant regulations. We have demonstrated this time and again by prosecuting some of our staff for various offences in competent courts.”
“As such, the Service expresses happiness over the remedy to the injustice SERAP did to its officers. Importantly, the Service reaffirms its commitment to professionalism and the rule of law,” the statement concluded.
