‘Anyone Found To Be Responsible For The Invasion Must Be Prosecuted’ – Femi Falana Reacts To DSS Raid On SERAP’s Office
Prominent human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, has condemned the recent raid on the Abuja office of the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS).
Naija News earlier reported that SERAP had alerted the public on its official X handle, stating that DSS agents had taken control of its office in the capital.
The organisation urged President Bola Tinubu to intervene and instruct the DSS to stop the harassment and intimidation of Nigerian citizens.
“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 brief statement read.
The invasion comes 24 hours after the group issued an ultimatum to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to reverse the hike in petrol price.
In a statement responding to the incident, Falana described the raid as unlawful and an abuse of power, calling on the Federal Government to take immediate action.
He said, “I condemn the invasion of SERAP’s office. The Tinubu government must urgently fish out the officers who carried out the invasion of SERAP’s office in the name of the government.
“Anyone found to be responsible for the invasion must be prosecuted. The government must allow human rights defenders to freely carry out their work, consistent with the Nigerian Constitution.”