ABUJA, Nigeria — Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) Voices Concern Over Governmental Oversight

In a bold move, SERAP has entreated Nigeria’s leader, President Bola Tinubu, to halt the misuse of security forces to stifle the populace’s freedoms.

The organization implored the administration to command the Department of State Services (DSS) to retract a defamation suit launched against SERAP, allegedly by agency affiliates.

This request surfaced in an open dispatch dated October 19, 2024, penned by SERAP’s deputy director, Kolawole Oluwadare. The NGO raised alarms about the government’s exploitation of the DSS and slander laws to muzzle human rights advocates. The legal action emerged after SERAP accused DSS personnel of orchestrating a raid on its Abuja base.

Furthermore, SERAP’s correspondence lambasted the government for prioritizing oppression over tackling crucial problems such as oil industry corruption and the nation’s declining economy.

“We implore your leadership to cease intimidating and menacing our staff and other advocates through unfounded legal challenges,” SERAP’s letter declared.

The group cautioned that persisting with the lawsuit would force them to defend their case in court, possibly implicating both the DSS and the administration as co-respondents.

Since 2004, SERAP has actively pursued numerous public interest suits against prior Nigerian regimes, but never before has a government leveraged security bodies against their endeavors, per the organization’s account.

SERAP contended that such maneuvers erode democratic principles and the rule of law, urging a probe into corruption accusations rather than harassing defenders of human rights.

The group expressed disillusionment with the government for ignoring former advisories, including reversing disputed fuel prices and examining alleged malfeasance within the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).

It also reproached the regime for not executing legal verdicts won by SERAP, notably those linked to governmental transparency and welfare disbursements.

SERAP renewed its plea for the cessation of pressures against its members and other civil society stalwarts.

The collective reiterated its pledge to uphold human rights and fight graft, underscoring that its impartial mission garners recognition on both national and international stages.

“Without adhering to legal governance, the prospect of realizing your economic and developmental agendas remain slim, as the rule of law is pivotal to a civilized nation,” SERAP’s missive concluded.