The Department of State Services (DSS) has said the false claim by the Socio-Economic and Accountability Project (SERAP) that its officials invaded its (SERAP’s) Abuja office casts the affected personnel in bad light, portraying them as engaging in illegal operation.
A senior official of the DSS, John Afolabi said this while testifying on Thursday before a HIgh Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Maitama, at the resumed hearing in the suit by two personnel of the DSS – Sarah John and Gabriel Ogunleye
The suit marked: CV/4547/2024 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, N5billion in damages, N50million as cost of the suit and public apology to be published in several media platforms.
On Thursday, Afolabi, who featured 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 and 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 incid not trough 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). 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 said he is a Director in DSS’s Investigation Directorate, said the claimants and himself are competent, disciplined and professional officers of the DSS, adding 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 bad light, their employer (the DSS) got embarrassed by the allegations, because of people’s comments, and consequently ordered investigation into the conduct of the officers.
He added that 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 lawyer to Oluwadare, 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 make the visitation they made to SERAP’s office on September 9, 2024.
The witness said he was in court to testify under the instruction of the DSS’ management, adding that the allegations by SERAP were against the claimants and the service (DSS).
He added, “My concern was about my personnel (the claimants) against whom the allegations were made and which allegations lowered my estimation of them.”
Afolabi said while he was investigating the case, the defendants were invited, “but they failed to show up.”
The witness said the reports and allegations portrayed the claimants as engaging in illegal operations, adding that John and Ogunleye “did not carry out any operation in SERAP’s office on the 9th of September, but they only did invitation.”
At the conclusion of Adesioye’s cross examination of the witness, O. S. Kehinde, who conducted the the day’s proceedings on behalf of the claimants, announced the closure of his clients’ case.
Justice Yusuf Halilu subsequently adjourned till June 30 for the commencement of defence.
Madukwe B. Nwabuisi is an accomplished journalist renown for his fearless reporting style and extensive expertise in the field. He is an investigative journalist, who has established himself as a kamikaze reporter.
