WATCH THE VIDEO HERE A senior official of the Department of State Services (DSS), John Afolabi, has told the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Maitama, that contrary to the claims by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), no invasion was carried out by DSS personnel at SERAP’s Abuja office. Afolabi, a Director in the DSS Investigation Directorate, testified on Thursday in a defamation suit filed by two DSS operatives — Sarah John and Gabriel Ogunleye — against SERAP and its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare. The suit, marked CV/4547/2024, seeks N5 billion in damages, N50 million as legal costs, and a public apology across major media platforms over SERAP’s report alleging a raid by DSS officers on its premises on September 9, 2024. During his testimony, Afolabi stated that the report by SERAP portrayed the DSS personnel as engaging in an illegal operation, thereby damaging their professional reputation and that of the agency. He emphasized that the officers merely made a routine visit, under official instruction, and did not engage in any unlawful activity. “I was not in SERAP’s office on September 9, 2024, when the claimants visited. However, I investigated the matter and found that the allegations were unfounded,” Afolabi said under cross-examination by SERAP’s counsel, Devine Oguru. He noted that the DSS took the allegations seriously, leading to an internal investigation that resulted in the suspension of John and Ogunleye. The officers were subjected to disciplinary panels and remain under investigation pending final decisions. The DSS director also revealed that despite invitations, SERAP officials failed to appear during the internal probe. He said the claims made by SERAP tarnished the image of the agency and misrepresented the visit as an unauthorized raid. “They (the claimants) acted under their supervisor’s authority and only extended an invitation — not a raid,” Afolabi clarified. He added that the allegations had caused widespread public criticism and embarrassment for the DSS, prompting the management to initiate corrective measures. After Afolabi concluded his testimony, the claimants’ lawyer, O. S. Kehinde, announced the closure of their case. Justice Yusuf Halilu adjourned the matter till June 30, 2025, for the defendants to open their defence.
“No Invasion Was Carried Out” — SSS Director Denies SERAP Office Raid Claims In N5 Billion Defamation Suit
