A staff member of the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has recounted the events surrounding the recent invasion of their Abuja office by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS). The incident, which occurred on the morning of Monday, September 9, involved several DSS agents arriving at the office and demanding to see Kolawole Oluwadare, the Deputy Director of SERAP.
The staff member, who spoke anonymously, revealed that the DSS agents, including a male and a female officer, entered the office at 11:09 a.m. and stayed until 11:21 a.m. Armed officers remained outside while the two entered the premises. The female officer persistently inquired about the whereabouts of Deputy Director Kola, who was not in the country at the time. When asked if they had an appointment or official reason for their visit, the DSS officers admitted they did not and described their visit as a “friendly chat.”
During the brief encounter, the officers asked about SERAP’s office locations across Nigeria, particularly in Lagos, and were directed to the organization’s website for further information. After leaving the office momentarily, the officers returned to instruct the staff member to inform Kolawole Oluwadare that he was required to report to their office on Tuesday, September 10. The female DSS officer disclosed her identity by providing her name and phone number but did not present a formal invitation letter.
The SERAP employee emphasized that she informed the DSS officer that it would be impossible for the Deputy Director to return to the country and honor the request on such short notice. She also highlighted the importance of a formal invitation for such matters, to which the DSS officer responded by asking her to communicate with the organization’s leadership and get back to her before the day’s end.
The incident has raised concerns about the manner in which the DSS approached the situation, especially given the absence of a formal invitation or clear explanation for their visit.
