By Adedapo Adesanya
The Department of State Services (DSS) invaded the office of the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) in Abuja on Monday, September 9, requesting to see its directors.
According to a post via X, formerly known as Twitter, the legal and advocacy organisation said the operatives of the secret police demanded to see its directors.
“Officers from Nigeria’s State Security Service (SSS) are presently unlawfully occupying SERAP’s office in Abuja, asking to see our directors,” a part of the post said.
“President Tinubu must immediately direct the SSS to end the harassment, intimidation and attack on the rights of Nigerians,” the post added.
On Sunday, SERAP gave President Tinubu 48 hours to reverse the recent hike in the pump price of premium motor spirit (PMS).
This development comes hours after DSS personnel arrested Mr Joe Ajaero, the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Aiport in Abuja on his way to the United Kingdom for an official assignment.
The NLC president was billed to attend the Trade Union Congress conference in London, which begins today, a statement from the labour union said.
The statement read in part “We wish to categorically state that Comrade Ajaero has been detained without any legal warrant or formal instrument. Joe Ajaero is not a fugitive. His detention is therefore a brazen act of lawlessness and intimidation as he has not been declared wanted by any law enforcement body. His detention is a brazen act of intimidation and completely unjustified under the laws of our nation. The mere contemplation of not just stopping a lawful citizen from travelling but also sequestering his freedom is an affront to our democratic and natural rights as a people and as workers.”
His arrest and detention came about a week after he honoured an invitation by the police on August 28. He was released the following day after honouring the invitation.
The NLC President was initially invited by the Office of the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Intelligence Response Team (IRT), over allegations of “criminal conspiracy, terrorism financing, treasonable felony, subversion, and cybercrime.”
“In furtherance of investigations into the alleged case of Criminal Intimidation, Conducts Likely to Cause Breach of Public Peace and Malicious Damage to Properties in which your name featured.
“You are requested to come along with Comrade Emmanuel Ugboaja or an interview with the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Force intelligence Department (FID) through the undersigned, at SPO’s Room 12, 2nd Floor, Force Intelligence Department (FID) Complex, Shehu Shagari way, opposite Force Headquarters Area 11, Garki, Abuja on Thursday, 5th September, 2024 at 11am.”
Global humanitarian organisation, Amnesty International Nigeria also condemned action carried out against SERAP by the DSS.
“Amnesty International received a disturbing report of the unlawful invasion of the Abuja office of Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) by operatives of DSS. President Bola Tinubu is going too far in his government’s repressive efforts to gag dissenting voices,” it wrote on its official X account.