The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called on President Bola Tinubu to intervene and stop the intimidation, harassment, and threats directed at the organization by the Department of State Services (DSS).
This comes after DSS officers allegedly stormed SERAP’s Abuja office today, demanding to see the group’s directors.
In a statement issued by its Deputy Director Kolawole Oluwadare, the organization condemned the invasion, calling it “a brutal assault on the entire human rights community in the country.”
According to Oluwadare, a tall, dark-skinned woman, accompanied by a slim, dark-skinned man, led the DSS officers into SERAP’s office. Two unmarked vehicles with additional officers were reportedly stationed outside the building.
The visit, which SERAP deems an act of intimidation, follows the organization’s recent call for the Tinubu administration to order the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to reverse a controversial petrol price hike. The group had also urged an investigation into alleged corruption and mismanagement within the NNPCL.
“We condemn the invasion of our Abuja office today by Nigeria’s Department of State Services,” Oluwadare said. “The Tinubu administration must immediately direct the DSS to end the intimidation and harassment of SERAP and our staff members.”
Prominent human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Femi Falana also weighed in on the incident, stating, “The Tinubu government must urgently fish out the officers who carried out the invasion of SERAP’s office in the name of the government. Anyone found to be responsible for the invasion must be prosecuted. The government must allow human rights defenders to freely carry out their work, consistent with the Nigerian Constitution.”
Falana’s concerns were echoed in SERAP’s statement, which warned of the dangers posed by increasing restrictions on civic space and the crackdown on human rights defenders in Nigeria. “This government has an obligation to support and protect civil society groups and human rights defenders,” the statement read. “We are seriously concerned about the growing restrictions on civic space and the brutal crackdown on the human rights of Nigerians.”
SERAP also issued a stern warning to the authorities, stating that failure to end the harassment would lead to legal action both nationally and internationally.
“If the Tinubu government does not take all necessary measures to immediately end the intimidation and harassment of SERAP or any other civil society group, we will take appropriate legal action to hold the authorities accountable,” Oluwadare added.
The organization reaffirmed its commitment to protecting civil liberties, stressing that efforts to silence civil society would be resisted.
“SERAP will continue to work to challenge any attempt to restrict, silence or eliminate the voices of credible civil society in the country,” the statement concluded.
The group called on the Tinubu administration to ensure the safety and security of its staff and allow it to carry out its mandate without fear of reprisal.
Under the Nigerian Constitution and international human rights laws, civil society organizations and human rights defenders are entitled to protection. SERAP’s call for justice underscores the growing concerns over the shrinking civic space in Nigeria.
