The Department of State Services (DSS) has issued a statement clarifying the purpose of its officers’ visit to the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project’s (SERAP) Abuja office on Monday.
The DSS insisted that the agents were not on a raid, but on a routine investigation and their actions had been misinterpreted,
In a statement on its website, the DSS explained, “A team of two unarmed Service operatives were lawfully detailed on a routine investigation to the SERAP office in Abuja, which has sadly been skewed and misinterpreted as unlawful, harassment, and intimidation of SERAP officials.”
The secret police agency denied any wrongdoing, stating, “Such official enquiries and liaison are traditional and do not in any way amount to illegality or raid.”
SERAP, however, had earlier condemned the visit, describing it as an “invasion” and “brutal assault on the entire human rights community.”
In a statement, SERAP Deputy Director Kolawole Oluwadare urged President Bola Tinubu to direct the DSS to end the intimidation and harassment of the organization and its staff.
“The escalating crackdown on human rights, and harassment and intimidation of NGOs and human rights defenders… hurt those most in need, undermine access of Nigerian victims of human rights violations and abuses to justice, and contribute to a culture of impunity of perpetrators,” SERAP’s statement read.
The DSS assured the public of its commitment to professionalism and urged citizens to disregard what it said were the “false narratives” surrounding the incident.
The agency also announced an in-depth investigation into the matter.
