The Department of State Services (DSS) has faulted a claim by the Socio-Economic and Accountability Project (SERAP) that officials of the secret police invaded the organisation’s Abuja office.
The DSS said the allegation portrayed its personnel in a bad light, like a government agency that engages in illegal operations.
A senior official of the DSS, John Afolabi, said this while testifying yesterday before a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Maitama at the resumed hearing in the suit filed by two personnel of the secret police – Sarah John and Gabriel Ogunleye.
The suit, filed for the DSS officials by their lawyer, Akinlolu Kehinde (SAN), has SERAP and its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, as defendants.
John and Ogunleye are claiming, among others, N5 billion in damages and N50 million as cost of the suit, and are demanding a public apology to be published in several media platforms.
Afolabi, who featured yesterday as the second claimants’ witness, adopted his written statement on oath as his evidence in the case and urged the court to grant the reliefs sought by the claimants.
Under cross-examination by lawyer to SERAP, Devine Oguru, the witness said contrary to the impression created by the report put out by SERAP, John and Ogunleye paid a routine visitation to the organisation’s office but did not engage in any invasion.
Afolabi said he was not present when the DSS officials visited SERAP’s office on September 9, 2024, but got to know about the incident through the media and investigation he conducted.
He said: “I was not in SERAP’s office on September 9, 2024 when the claimants visited there. I have never been there (SERAP’s office). Since I was not there, I cannot tell what happened there on that day.
“But the information on the social media and regular media about the allegations levelled against the claimants by the defendants and my investigation of the matter, gave me full insight into what transpired in SERAP’s office that day,” the witness said.
Afolabi, who described himself as a Director in the Investigation Directorate of the DSS, said the claimants and himself are competent, disciplined and professional officers of the outfit.
He added that they remained disciplined, competent and professional in the discharge of their duties.
The witness said not only did the allegations by SERAP cast the claimants in a bad light but their employer (the DSS) got embarrassed by the allegations because of people’s comments, and consequently ordered investigation into the conduct of the officers.
According to the witness, as a result of the defendant’s false allegations, the claimants are currently the subject of an ongoing investigation by the DSS.
Afolabi said John and Ogunleye had been made to make statements, subjected to interrogations, faced a disciplinary panel and now suspended from the service pending the outcome of the ongoing investigation.
Under cross-examination by Oluwadare’s counsel, Oluwatosin Adesioye, the witness said the claimants, who are attached to the NGOs Table within the Investigation Directorate of the DSS, acted under the authority of their supervisor to embark on the visitation to SERAP’s office on September 9, 2024.
Justice Yusuf Halilu adjourned till June 30 for the commencement of defence.
