SERAP to FG: End intimidation, harassment of our staff members

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called on President Bola Tinubu to immediately instruct the Department of State Services (DSS) to cease its intimidation, harassment, and threats of arrest against SERAP’s directors.

This plea comes in response to a recent incident where DSS agents raided SERAP’s office.

According to Tribune Online, the DSS conducted a raid on SERAP’s office on Monday morning, demanding access to the Deputy Director and the address of its Lagos State office. This action followed SERAP’s recent ultimatum to President Tinubu regarding the recent increase in petrol prices.

In a statement to Naija News, SERAP Deputy Director Kolawole Oluwadare reported that a tall, dark-skinned woman and a slim, dark-skinned man, along with other officers in unmarked vehicles, were seen at their Abuja office. Oluwadare condemned the invasion, stating, “We denounce the DSS’s raid on our Abuja office and call on the Tinubu administration to end this harassment immediately.”

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SERAP’s statement further condemned the raid, labeling it a serious attack on the human rights community. The organization emphasized that such actions undermine access to justice for victims of human rights abuses and contribute to a culture of impunity. They urged President Tinubu to direct a thorough investigation into the incident and hold those responsible accountable.

The statement highlighted SERAP’s constitutional rights under the Nigerian Constitution of 1999 (as amended), the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights. SERAP stressed that these rights must be upheld, and they warned of potential legal action both nationally and internationally if the intimidation does not cease.

SERAP reaffirmed its commitment to challenging any attempts to restrict or silence civil society voices and called on the presidency to actively support the protection of human rights and freedom of expression.

NIGERIAN TRIBUNE