By Adedapo Adesanya
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has accused President Bola Tinubu and his government of state harassment.
The group made this allegation after the Department of State Services (DSS) instituted a legal action against the rights organisation for N1 billion over claims that the secret police invaded its office a few weeks ago.
SERAP, in a statement over the weekend, said two officials of the DSS filed a defamation lawsuit against it over the matter last week.
It urged the President to direct DSS to immediately withdraw the defamation lawsuit against the organization and its management staff.
In the open letter dated October 19, 2024, and signed by its Deputy Director, Mr Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation said: “We are seriously concerned that your government seems to be weaponizing the DSS and misusing defamation laws as a tool of repression and to target those who defend human rights.
“Rather than addressing the allegations of widespread corruption in the oil sector and the worsening economic situation in the country, and reducing the cost of governance, your government is targeting those who campaign for actions in these areas.
“We would be grateful if the recommended measures are immediately taken following the receipt and/or publication of this letter.
“If the lawsuit is not immediately withdrawn, we will be prepared to defend our organization and management staff in court and to join your government and DSS in the lawsuit. This may include calling witnesses to ensure justice, end impunity for rights abuses, and achieve legitimate public interests in this matter.
“We have since 2004 pursued several public interest cases against the governments of former presidents Olusegun Obasanjo, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, Goodluck Jonathan and Muhammadu Buhari. This is the first time any government will weaponize the country’s security agencies to intimidate and target our organization.
“The defamation lawsuit is brought by two named DSS officials but their names are unknown to our organization. The lawsuit by these officials is apparently instigated and sponsored by the DSS under your watch.
“It is critical for human rights defenders, activists, journalists and other citizens to be able to organize and freely exercise their human rights without the threat of baseless lawsuits by your government or its security agencies and/or their proxies.
“Weaponizing the security agencies to intimidate, harass and silence human rights defenders, activists, journalists and other civil society actors will weaken representative democracy, deepen impunity and undermine the rule of law.
“Rather misusing the security agencies to crackdown on human rights defenders, activists, journalists and other civil society actors, your government ought to take steps to thoroughly, independently, impartially, transparently and effectively investigate the allegations raised by SERAP.”
“We are disappointed that your government has so far failed to respond to our recommendations calling on you to direct the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to immediately reverse the apparently illegal and unconstitutional increase in the pump price of petrol across its retail outlets.
“Your government has also failed to probe the allegations of corruption and mismanagement in the NNPC, including the spending of the reported $300 million ‘bailout funds’ collected from the Federal Government in August 2024, and the $6 billion debt it owes suppliers, despite allegedly failing to remit oil revenues to the treasury and to prosecute suspected perpetrators,” SERAP added.