The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project has urged President Bola Tinubu to stop the “weaponisation” of the Department of State Services and other security agencies in the country, and instead focus on ways to revive the national economic hardship.

SERAP noted that the free expression of fundamental human rights is significant and should not be suppressed, accusing the Tinubu-led government of “threats of baseless lawsuits” against human rights defenders, activists, journalists, and other citizens.

In a statement dated October 19, 2024, signed by SERAP’s deputy director, Kolawole Oluwadare, and obtained by PUNCH Online on Sunday, the organisation urged Tinubu to “direct the Department of State Services to immediately withdraw the baseless defamation lawsuit brought by their proxies against our organisation and management staff.”

“It is critical for human rights defenders, activists, journalists, and other citizens to be able to organise and freely exercise their human rights without the threat of baseless lawsuits from your government or its security agencies and/or their proxies.”

“Weaponising the security agencies to intimidate, harass, and silence human rights defenders, activists, journalists, and other civil society actors will weaken representative democracy, deepen impunity, and undermine the rule of law.”

On September 9, officials of the DSS reportedly took over SERAP’s Abuja office barely 24 hours after the organisation urged Tinubu to leverage his leadership and authority to instruct the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited to promptly reverse the hike in the pump price of premium motor spirit, commonly known as petrol, at its retail outlets.

However, the security outfit clarified that its agents were detailed for a routine investigation, adding that the officers’ actions had been misinterpreted as harassment and intimidation.

In its statement, SERAP stated, “We are seriously concerned that your government seems to be weaponising the DSS and misusing defamation laws as a tool of repression to target those who defend human rights.

Rather than addressing the allegations of widespread corruption in the oil sector and the worsening economic situation in the country, and reducing the cost of governance, your government is targeting those who campaign for actions in these areas.

“We would be grateful if the recommended measures are immediately taken following the receipt and/or publication of this letter. If the lawsuit is not immediately withdrawn, we will be prepared to defend our organisation and management staff in court and to join your government and the DSS in the lawsuit. This may include calling witnesses to ensure justice, end impunity for rights abuses, and achieve legitimate public interests.

“We have pursued several public interest cases against the governments of former presidents Olusegun Obasanjo, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, Goodluck Jonathan, and Muhammadu Buhari since 2004. This is the first time any government has weaponised the country’s security agencies to intimidate and target our organisation.

“The defamation lawsuit is brought by two named DSS officials, but their names are unknown to our organisation. The lawsuit by these officials is instigated and sponsored by the DSS under your watch.”

SERAP noted that using the security agencies to “intimidate, harass, and silence human rights defenders, activists, journalists, and other civil society actors will weaken representative democracy, deepen impunity, and undermine the rule of law.

“Rather than misusing the security agencies to crack down on human rights defenders, activists, journalists, and other civil society actors, your government ought to take steps to thoroughly, independently, impartially, transparently, and effectively investigate the allegations raised by SERAP.

“We are disappointed that your government has so far failed to respond to our recommendations calling on you to direct the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to immediately reverse the illegal and unconstitutional increase in the pump price of petrol across its retail outlets.

“Your government has also failed to probe the allegations of corruption and mismanagement in the NNPC, including 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 and prosecute suspected perpetrators,” among others.

SERAP equally urged the Federal Government to “embrace the rule of law, which will, in turn, entail respect for the human rights of Nigerians. Where there is a culture of rule of law, there is likely to be less corruption.”

PUNCH