Amnesty International, CJID, seven other groups ask Nigerian govt to withdraw libel case against SERAP

A coalition of civil society organisations (CSOs) has asked the Nigerian government to stop the ongoing lawsuit against the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), an independent anti-corruption watchdog in the country.

In October, PREMIUM TIMES reported that the State Security Services (SSS) instituted a N5.5 billion defamation suit against SERAP, alleging that the civil society organisation falsely accused its operatives of invading its Abuja office.

In a statement on Tuesday, a group of nine CSOs asked the Nigerian government to halt the incessant crackdown and violence against human rights defenders, activists, journalists, and other civil society actors.

The signatories to the statement are Amnesty International, Accountability Lab, BudgIT, Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID), CISLAC, Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA), Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC), Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC), and YIAGA

They said the government’s actions are “antithetical to Nigeria’s international human rights obligations, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, both of which the country has ratified.”

“The escalating crackdown on human rights, and the harassment and intimidation of NGOs and human rights defenders who have shown remarkable courage in their work, harm those most in need, undermine Nigerian victims’ access to justice for human rights violations and abuses, and foster a culture of impunity among perpetrators,” parts of the statement stated.

“We are concerned that the increasing repression under the Tinubu government is aimed at creating a climate of intimidation against civil society organizations, human rights defenders, journalists, and other civil society actors in the country. The targeting of civil society actors and protesters will have a chilling effect on the promotion and protection of human rights and respect for the rule of law in the country,” the statement read.

Calling on the President Tinubu-led government to reverse the issue, the groups described it as “dangerous trends and the impunity of perpetrators for grave human rights violations and abuses in the country.”

“Nigerian authorities must immediately end the escalating threats, harassment, and intimidation of SERAP and other groups, human rights defenders, journalists, and other civil society actors. Authorities must ensure a conducive environment for civil society actors to carry out their work and operate freely without fear of reprisals.

“Nigerian authorities must uphold their constitutional and international human rights obligations and end the brutal assault on the human rights community in the country.”

Highlight of similar cases

The groups said that the intimidation and harassment of SERAP followed the invasion of the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR) office in Ikeja, Lagos, in August by armed security personnel.

They also recalled the invasion of the headquarters of the Nigeria Labour Congress and the arbitrary arrest of NLC President Joe Ajaero by the State Security Service (SSS) in September at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, as he was en route to the United Kingdom for the World Trade Union Congress. His passport was seized.

“We note that law enforcement agencies violated the rights of protesters and non-protesters during the #EndBadGovernance protests. Reports indicate that the police and DSS (SSS) shot live ammunition at peaceful protesters and journalists, while they harassed, arbitrarily arrested, and detained protesters and non-protesters — including minors during the protests in August,” it added.

In February, Dele Fasan, the bureau chief of Galaxy Television, was reportedly arrested and placed in handcuffs by soldiers for recording a video of the labour protest in Uvwie, Warri, over economic hardship in the country.

Madu Onuorah, publisher of Global Upfront; Daniel Ojukwu of the Foundation for Investigative Journalism; Dayo Aiyetan, executive director of the International Centre for Investigative Journalism; Fisayo Soyombo, founder of the Foundation for Investigative Journalism; Nurudeen Akwasika; and Adejuwon Soyinka have all faced repression simply for performing their legitimate duties under Mr Tinubu’s watch, the groups said.

They said the cases appear designed to send a broader message of intimidation to Nigerian citizens, civil society organisations, journalists, and others striving for the promotion and protection of human rights and a rule-of-law-based society.

Recently, the Tinubu administration was widely rebuked over the trial of more than 100 persons including tens of minors, who were arrested in August in connection with the #EndBandGovernance protests and detained for more than three months.

Background

On 9 September, SSS operatives visited the Abuja office of SERAP.

Announcing the development on X, SERAP said the secret police invaded its office, linking it to its letter calling on President Tinubu and his government to probe allegations of corruption in the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited and to reverse the increase in the pump price of petrol.

SERAP’s deputy director, Kolawole Oluwadare, condemned the ‘weaponisation’ of the country’s security agencies to target Nigerians simply for the peaceful exercise of their human rights while accusing the government of silencing it.

On 17 October, SSS filed a libel suit against SERAP at the FCT High Court, Abuja.

SSS and two officials, Sarah John and Gabriel Ogundele joined as co-claimants, stated that the alleged false claim by SERAP negatively impacted their reputation and that of the two officials involved.

But SERAP, in its statement of defence, insisted that SSS operatives stormed its office in Abuja in September.

It said the visit of the SSS operatives to its office in Abuja could not have been for social reasons, given the agency’s reputation of harassing and intimidating innocent citizens over the years.

“The DSS (SSS) is not known to make social friends of NGOs dedicated to the promotion of human rights and accountability in Nigeria.

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“There is no new leadership in SERAP and that the normal practice for public institutions and law enforcement agencies including the DSS, when inviting NGOs to a meeting is to send letters of invitation to such organizations for record purposes.

“The statement published by SERAP was directed to the DSS as Nigeria’s secret security agency which is notorious for various acts of harassment and intimidation of innocent citizens over the years, and not the DSS officials as claimed,” SERAP stated in an extract of its defence filing made available to PREMIUM TIMES.