Justice Halilu Yusuf of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory has reserved judgment indefinitely in a ₦5.5 billion defamation suit filed against the non-governmental organisation, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP).
The judge adjourned proceedings on Thursday after hearing final arguments from all parties in the suit, marked CV/4547/2024.
The case was instituted in the names of two officials of the Department of State Services (DSS), Sarah John and Gabriel Ogundele, who listed SERAP as the first defendant and its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, as the second defendant.
The claimants accused the defendants of publishing false statements alleging that DSS officials invaded SERAP’s Abuja office on September 9, 2024. They argued that the publication damaged their personal reputations and that of the DSS.
At the hearing, counsel to the DSS, Oluwagbemileke Samuel Kehinde, urged the court to grant all the reliefs sought, insisting that the claimants had sufficiently established the elements of defamation, even though they were not expressly named in the publication.
SERAP’s counsel, Victoria Bassey, asked the court to dismiss the suit, arguing that the publication referred generally to “DSS officials” and did not identify the claimants by name. She said the claimants failed to prove that the statements were directed specifically at them.
Counsel to the second defendant, Oluwatosin Adefioye, aligned with SERAP’s position, adding that since no individual was named, the claimants were required to establish special circumstances linking them to the alleged defamation.
After listening to all submissions, Justice Yusuf announced that parties would be notified when the judgment is ready.
In the suit, the claimants are seeking, among other reliefs, a public apology, ₦5 billion in damages, interest on the judgment sum, and ₦50 million as the cost of the action.