By Halimah Olamide
The Department of State Services (DSS) has described allegations by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) that its officers had taken control of its Abuja and Lagos offices, as “inaccurate and misleading”.
The DSS, in a publication on its website on Tuesday in Abuja said a team of two unarmed operatives of the service were lawfully detailed on routine investigation to SERAP office in Abuja.
Recall that NPO reported that SERAP stated that their Abuja office was raided yesterday, Tuesday by operatives of the DSS.
The publication said SERAP, a Human Right Group had sadly skewed and misinterpreted the lawful assignment as unlawful, harassment and intimidation of its officials.
The department said such official enquiries and liaison were traditional and does not in any way amount to illegality or raid.
The service assured an indept investigation of the malicious contents and called for for citizens’ participation in national security management.
It urged the public to disregard the false narratives by SERAP and pledged its commitment to utmost professionalism in the discharge of its core mandate.
The human rights group had raised the alarm over an “unlawful occupation” of its offices by operatives of the DSS.
The group had called on President Bola Tinubu to direct the DSS to end the “harassment, intimidation and attack on the rights of Nigerians.