Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Court of Appeal in Abuja has barred United Nations Special Rapporteurs and Columbia University from participating in the ongoing legal battle between the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) and two Department of State Services (DSS) operatives.
The development was reported on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, as the appellate court heard appeals arising from a defamation judgment that awarded ₦100 million in damages against SERAP.
The international bodies had sought permission to participate in the appeal as amici curiae, a legal term for individuals or organisations that are not parties to a case but seek to assist the court with relevant information or legal arguments.
However, the applicants withdrew their requests after the court indicated that it saw no need for their intervention. The panel subsequently struck out the applications.
The court also reserved judgment in the appeals, with the date for delivery to be communicated to the parties.
The dispute originated from publications made by SERAP in September 2024 concerning an alleged visit by DSS officials to its Abuja office. The organisation had said the officials visited after it called on President Bola Tinubu to investigate corruption allegations involving the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited and reverse increases in petrol prices.
Two DSS operatives, Sarah John and Gabriel Ogundele, subsequently instituted a defamation suit against SERAP, arguing that the publications referred to them and damaged their reputations.
On May 5, 2026, Justice Yusuf Halilu of the Federal Capital Territory High Court ruled against SERAP and awarded ₦100 million in damages, alongside ₦1 million in litigation costs. The court also ordered the organisation to publish an apology on its website, X account, two national newspapers and two television stations.
SERAP has appealed the judgment, arguing that the claimants were not identified by name in the publications and that the evidence presented did not establish the necessary elements of defamation. The organisation is asking the appellate court to set aside the ruling and the consequential orders.
The DSS operatives have opposed the appeal and urged the court to uphold the lower court’s decision.
The Court of Appeal’s forthcoming judgment will determine the outcome of the appeals. The decision to exclude the proposed amici curiae does not, in itself, determine whether SERAP is liable for defamation.
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