Following a lawsuit initiated by the Department of State Service (DSS), Omoyele Sowore, the founder of Sahara Reporters, has launched two fundamental rights petitions against the agency at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The case also includes Meta, the parent company of Facebook, and X Corp. (formerly known as Twitter) as co-defendants.
Sowore’s legal challenge centers on what he describes as the DSS’s unlawful suppression of his social media accounts on Meta and X platforms.
Through his attorney, Tope Temokun, Esq., Sowore emphasized, “This battle is crucial for the preservation of free expression in Nigeria. If government bodies can control who speaks and what is said on global platforms, then no Nigerian’s voice is truly safe; censorship will be wielded arbitrarily by those in authority.”
“Silencing political dissent contradicts democratic values. Section 39 of Nigeria’s Constitution guarantees every citizen the right to free speech without interference. No security agency, regardless of its power, can revoke these rights.”
“Meta and X must recognize their role: by complying with unlawful censorship demands, they become enablers of oppression. They cannot claim neutrality while facilitating authoritarian control on their platforms.”
“Our requests to the Court are straightforward: that the DSS lacks legal authority to censor Nigerians on social media; that Meta and X refrain from becoming instruments of repression; and that the rights of our client-and by extension, all Nigerians-are safeguarded against illegal censorship.”
“We urge defenders of freedom, journalists, human rights advocates, and the Nigerian populace to remain resolute. Today it is Sowore; tomorrow, it could be any one of us.”
“This fight transcends individuals; it is about upholding principles. We will oppose every effort to transform Nigeria into a digital autocracy.”
The DSS, in its suit, alleges that Sowore posted false information about President Bola Tinubu on social media.
The agency claims the posts have the potential to disrupt public order nationwide.
The criminal charges, filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja, also name X Inc. and Meta (Facebook) as defendants.
In the five-count charge sheet (FHC/ABJ/CR/481/2025), Sowore is accused of tweeting from his official X handle, @YeleSowore, the statement: “This criminal @officialPBAT actually went to Brazil to claim there is no more corruption under his administration in Nigeria. What audacity to lie shamelessly!”
This post allegedly violates Section 24(2)(b) of the Cybercrimes Prohibition and Prevention Act 2024 and was made on August 25 within the Federal High Court’s jurisdiction.
Count two alleges that on August 26, Sowore posted the same false statement on his official Facebook page, which purportedly incited unrest among Nigerians with differing opinions about President Tinubu.
This act is also said to contravene Section 24(2)(b) of the Cybercrimes Prohibition and Prevention Act 2024.
In count three, Sowore is charged with using his X account to publish defamatory content against President Tinubu, violating Section 375 of the Criminal Code.
The DSS further accuses him of posting defamatory material on Facebook, also breaching Section 375 of the Criminal Code.
Count five alleges that Sowore intended to incite public fear and disorder by disseminating false information damaging to the President’s reputation, contrary to Section 59 of the Criminal Code Act.
The charges were signed by Mohammed Babadoko Abubakar, Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation (DPPF).
As of now, no arraignment date has been scheduled for the defendants.
Two weeks prior, the DSS issued a warning demanding that Sowore and the other defendants remove the contentious posts or face legal repercussions.
The charges specify: “On or about August 25, 2025, within this Court’s jurisdiction, you, Omoyele Sowore, used your official X handle @YeleSowore to tweet: ‘this criminal @officialpbat actually went to Brazil to state that there is no more corruption under his regime in Nigeria. What audacity to lie shamelessly!’ knowing the message was false and intended to cause a breakdown of law and order, especially among those with differing views on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (GCFR), thereby committing an offence under Section 24(1)(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Amendment Act, 2024.”
Count two states: “On or about August 26, 2025, within this Court’s jurisdiction, you used your official Facebook page to post the same false message with the intent to disrupt public order among individuals holding divergent opinions about President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (GCFR), thereby violating Section 24(1)(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Amendment Act, 2024.”
