Two officers of the Department of State Service (DSS) told staff at the Abuja office of the Socio-Economic Rights Accountability Project (SERAP) they wanted to speak with Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation’s deputy director, when they laid siege to the organisation on Monday, FIJ can report.

Oluwadare confirmed this when he spoke with FIJ on Monday.

SERAP staff said that the DSS arrived at their office at about 11 am on Monday and two operatives asked to see their deputy director.

“They didn’t meet me; and my colleagues said I wasn’t around. They then asked if there was any other director they could speak with, but they said none was on the ground. So, they stepped out to make some calls and then came back in. This was when my colleagues saw they came in two vehicles,” Oluwadare told FIJ.

READ MORE: DSS Storms SERAP Office Day After It Told Tinubu to Reverse Petrol Hike

“After some time, they left. The vehicles stayed outside for a while and then left too. What we are not sure of is if the operatives are lurking around. They are yet to make any arrests. I do not know why they are looking for me.”

FIJ had earlier reported that the DSS’ infiltration of SERAP’s space came a day after the organisation urged President Bola Tinubu to “direct the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to immediately reverse the illegal and unconstitutional increase in the pump price” of petrol.

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This situation adds to the increasing threat against civic rights under Tinubu’s government.

Amnesty International Nigeria responded to the DSS’ move by cautioning that Tinubu “is going too far” in suppressing dissenting voices since his assumption of power.

“Amnesty International received a disturbing report of the unlawful invasion of the Abuja office of the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) by operatives of DSS,” Amnesty International Nigeria wrote on X on Monday.

“President Bola Tinubu is going too far in his government’s repressive efforts to gag dissenting voices.”