THE State Security Services (SSS) on Monday, September 9, raided the office of the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) in Abuja, in continuation of President Bola Tinubu-led government’s clampdown on the media and dissecting voices in Nigeria.
This came hours after the secret police arrested the president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero.
Announcing the development, SERAP on its X handle, said the operatives unlawfully occupied its building, Monday morning, demanding to see its directors.
While, there is no official comment from the SSS yet, SERAP asked Tinubu to immediately direct the SSS to end the harassment, intimidation and attack on the rights of Nigerians.
“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,” the statement reads.
SERAP, a human rights and advocacy group, has been at the forefront of several lawsuits against government agencies, particularly in cases involving human rights violations and public accountability.
In its latest statement on Sunday, September 8, the organisation requested that President Tinubu to direct the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to immediately reverse the increase in the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), also known as petrol.
In an open letter dated September 7, 2024 and signed by its deputy director Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation demanded that the president directs the attorney general of the federation and minister of justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, and appropriate anti-corruption agencies to probe the allegations of corruption and mismanagement in the NNPCL.
This includes the spending of the reported $300 million ‘bailout funds’ collected from the federal government in August 2024, and the $6 billion debt it owes suppliers, despite allegedly failing to remit oil revenues to the treasury.
The ICIR reports that attacks and harassment of journalists and other citizens by security operatives especially the police using the NPF-NCCC have remained a great concern in Nigeria.
In December 2023, security agents abused their power and flouted the Nigerian Constitution by harassing 39 journalists in the line of duty, nationwide.
Four reporters with The ICIR were harassed by state actors in the line of duty that year.
In 2024, the NPF-NCCC in Abuja invited and detained The ICIR’s executive director, Dayo Aiyetan, and reporter, Nurudeen Akewushola, over an investigation on sleazes in which its former Inspector-Generals were complicit.
The ICIR reported that a reporter, DanielOjukwu, was abducted by officials of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) of the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun on Wednesday, May 1, two days before World Press Freedom Day.
Usman Mustapha is a solution journalist with International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: [email protected]. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M