The Northern Ethnic Youth Group Assembly has criticized the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project for describing a recent court judgment against it as a “travesty.”
The FCT High Court on Tuesday awarded N100 million in damages against SERAP in a defamation suit filed by two Department of State Services operatives. The court also ordered SERAP to publish apologies in two national newspapers and on two television stations.
Shortly after the ruling, SERAP issued a statement calling the judgment “a travesty,” “a blow to civic space in Nigeria,” and “a troubling pattern under the government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of using defamation laws to punish legitimate criticism and suppress accountability.”
In a statement Wednesday, NEYGA said SERAP’s reaction was “deeply troubling and irresponsible for a group that purports to promote socio-economic rights and accountability.”
“We are saddened by the deeply troubling and irresponsible outburst by SERAP in the wake of the Tuesday judgement,” said spokesperson Alhaji Ibrahim Dan-Musa. “Shocking is SERAP’s attempt to link the judgement to an attempt to gag free speech.”
The group accused SERAP of double standards, pointing to its support for an ex parte order granted by a Federal High Court against the National Broadcasting Commission while dismissing the FCT court’s ruling.
“Isn’t it hypocritical for SERAP to be hailing the exparte order granted by a Federal High Court against the NBC, but thumps the judgement of a court of coordinate jurisdiction as ‘a travesty?’” NEYGA asked.
NEYGA noted that Justice Halilu Yusuf, who delivered the judgment, emphasized that SERAP cannot demand accountability from others while resisting it when accused of defaming citizens.
“It is disappointing that SERAP, which has over 30 pending court cases against agencies of the Nigerian government, would describe the judgement of a high court as a ‘travesty’ simply because it didn’t go its way,” the statement said.
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The group commended the two DSS officers for seeking legal redress instead of resorting to self-help, describing it as a first in Nigeria’s history.
It also praised DSS Director General Oluwatosin Adeola Ajayi for supporting the officers in taking the matter to court, saying the move strengthens jurisprudence and shows that security personnel have rights that cannot be breached without consequences.
NEYGA advised SERAP to exercise civility and pursue its available legal options, including an appeal to the Supreme Court, rather than attacking the judiciary.
“That SERAP can afford to call the judgement of a high court a ‘travesty’ goes to show how toxic and intolerant the NGO is,” the group said.
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