DSS breaks silence on invasion of SERAP office

The Department of State Services (DSS) has confirmed visiting the office of the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) in Abuja.

The human rights group had raised the alarm over an “unlawful occupation” of its offices and called on President Bola Tinubu to direct the DSS to end the “harassment, intimidation and attack on the rights of Nigerians”, reports Daily Trust.

“Officers from Nigeria’s State Security Service (SSS) are presently unlawfully occupying SERAP’s office in Abuja, asking to see our directors. President Tinubu must immediately direct the SSS to end the harassment, intimidation and attack on the rights of Nigerians,” SERAP posted yesterday.

Responding in a statement this morning, the secret police faulted SERAP’s narrative, saying unarmed personnel of the service went on routine investigation.

“The Department of State Services (DSS) has been inundated with multiple enquiries on its alleged unlawful invasion of SERAP offices in Abuja and Lagos.

“This narrative is inaccurate and misleading in its intent. For the records, a team of two (2) unarmed Service operatives were lawfully detailed on routine investigation to SERAP office in Abuja, which has sadly been skewed and misinterpreted as unlawful, harassment and intimidation of SERAP officials.

“The Service further wishes to state that such official enquiries and liaison are traditional and do not in any way amount to illegality or raid.

“While it assures of in depth investigation of these malicious contents, it sues for citizens’ participation in national security management.

“The DSS, therefore, urges the public to disregard these false narratives as it restates its commitment to utmost professionalism in the discharge of its core mandate.”

Recall that DSS had visited SERAP’s office after the organisation asked Tinubu to direct the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to immediately reverse the increase in the pump price of petrol and to ensure the prompt and thorough investigation of alleged corruption and mismanagement in the NNPCL.