A Coalition of civil society groups has called for restraint over recent judgement of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court involving Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) and officials of Department of State Services (DSS).
The coalition comprising of The Green Assembly Initiative and the Nigeria Youth Organisation made the call in a joint statement issued on Saturday in Abuja.
The statement was signed by the Convener of the Green Assembly Initiative, Duke Alamboye.
The group was reacting to the May 5 judgement delivered by Justice Yusuf Halilu in a case of defamation brought against SERAP by officials of DSS.
The FCT high court sitting in Maitama in its judgement on May 5, stated that SERAP defamed two DSS officials through false publications it made on Sept. 10, 2024.
NAN also recalls that the DSS officials Sarah John and Gabriel Ogundele sued SERAP and its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, accusing them of making false claims in publications on the group’s website.
They also accused SERAP of publishing the same false claims on its social media platforms that the claimants invaded their Abuja office on Sept. 9, 2024 and subjected them to harassment.
Justice Halilu stated that the publications was defamatory and awarded damages of N100 million against the defendants, in addition to N1 million for the cost of prosecuting the suit.
In the statement, the coalition noted the court ruled that certain publications arising from a September 2024 incident involving allegations of unlawful invasion of SERAP’s office were defamatory.
The court apart from awarding damages also ordered that the defendants render public apologies as well as post-judgement interest.
The coalition said they recognised the judiciary as the final arbiter in disputes and stressed the need for respect for court decisions and constitutional processes.
“As civil society organisations are committed to the rule of law, constitutionalism and democratic accountability. We acknowledge the authority of the judiciary as the final arbiter in disputes of this nature.
“We are however, concerned over SERAP’s reaction to the judgement, particularly its decision to issue further public statements rejecting the ruling instead of pursuing appellate review.
“While we recognise the right of any party to express disagreement, we strongly believe that continued issuance of highly charged public statements at this stage risks escalating tensions and may inadvertently undermine public confidence in judicial processes,” the coalition stated.
The coalition also warned that sustained media narratives around ongoing litigation could affect public trust in institutions, including the judiciary and security agencies.
They urged all parties involved to embrace the appellate process rather than resort to prolonged public commentary capable of deepening divisions.
“The most appropriate and lawful path forward remains the appellate process, rather than sustained public commentary that could deepen divisions or inflame sensitivities in the national discourse.”
The coalition maintained that democracy would be strengthened through adherence to due process, respect for the courts and responsible civic engagement.
They also urged Nigerians to uphold the integrity of national institutions and safeguard the rule of law.
According to them, civil society must continue to hold institutions accountable while ensuring that such engagement does not weaken democratic structures.
The coalition called on all parties to de-escalate public rhetoric and allow appellate courts to determine any further legal questions arising from the matter.
