Personnel of Nigeria’s secret police, the Department of State Services (DSS), stormed the office of the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) in Abuja on Monday. This was revealed in a post shared by the civic group on Monday morning.
According to SERAP, the DSS officials were persistently asking for its directors, suggesting an intent to arrest them. SERAP, a prominent human rights organization, has been a staunch critic of the Nigerian government’s human rights record and has filed several lawsuits on behalf of victims of human rights abuses.
The exact reason for the DSS’s attempt to arrest the SERAP directors remains unclear, but it is believed to be linked to the group’s recent activities advocating for accountability and transparency within the government.
In a public statement, SERAP wrote: “BREAKING: 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.”
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Earlier on Monday, the DSS also arrested the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja while he was preparing to leave for the United Kingdom.
The arrest of both the NLC leader and the reported harassment of SERAP directors has sparked concerns about the government’s approach towards dissent and civic engagement in Nigeria.
