The Department of State Services (DSS) has filed criminal charges against human rights activist and publisher of SaharaReporters, Omoyele Sowore, at the Federal High Court in Abuja, over social media posts in which he referred to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as a “criminal.”
Also named as defendants in the suit are X Corp., owners of the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), and Meta Platforms Inc., the parent company of Facebook.
According to court documents obtained on Tuesday, the DSS lodged a five-count charge accusing Sowore of defamation, dissemination of false information, and conduct likely to cause a breakdown of law and order. The case, filed on September 16, 2025, has not yet been assigned to a judge, and no date has been fixed for Sowore’s arraignment.
The charges, signed by M.B. Abubakar, Esq., Director of Public Prosecutions at the Federal Ministry of Justice, along with other counsel, cite Sowore’s August 25 and 26 posts on his verified X and Facebook accounts. In one post, Sowore criticised President Tinubu’s statement in Brazil that corruption had been eliminated under his administration, calling the President a “criminal” and accusing him of “lying shamelessly.”
The prosecution has listed as exhibits Sowore’s posts, correspondence between the DSS and both platforms, and his subsequent responses. It also indicated that more evidence may be introduced during trial.
The Charges
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Count One and Count Two accuse Sowore of publishing false and inciting messages on X and Facebook, contrary to Section 24(1)(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Amendment Act, 2024.
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Counts Three and Four frame the posts as defamatory, alleging they damaged the reputation of President Tinubu.
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Count Five alleges that Sowore deliberately spread false information with intent to incite fear and disturb public peace.
Background
Sowore, a former presidential candidate under the African Action Congress (AAC), has frequently clashed with Nigerian authorities over his criticism of successive governments. The latest charges follow his refusal to retract his comments despite pressure from the DSS, which had earlier written to Meta and X, requesting deletion of the posts and suspension of his accounts.
In response, Sowore insisted that his criticisms were part of his constitutional duty to hold leaders accountable. He declared: “No amount of pressure will compel me to retract my statement. The determination of the Nigerian people to reclaim their country from thieves in power is unwavering.”
While Meta has yet to respond publicly, X confirmed receipt of the DSS’s censorship request and notified Sowore, who replied defiantly: “One option I will NOT be taking is deleting that Tweet.”
The presidency also attempted to intervene, with Special Adviser Bayo Onanuga suggesting that Sowore had “misfired” in interpreting Tinubu’s remarks, claiming the President’s statement referred only to foreign exchange reforms. Sowore, however, rejected this explanation, accusing Onanuga of aiding the suppression of critics.
The case now sets the stage for a legal battle testing the boundaries of free expression, censorship, and political criticism in Nigeria’s democratic space.
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