The Federal Government has formally charged activist and publisher Omoleye Sowore with five counts related to allegedly posting false information about President Bola Tinubu on social media platforms.
In the lawsuit filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja, social media giants X (formerly Twitter) and Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, have been named as co-defendants.
The indictment claims that Sowore used his verified X account to publish the statement: “This criminal @officialABAT actually went to Brazil to state that there is no more corruption under his regime in Nigeria. What audacity to lie shamelessly!”
This post, dated August 25, is said to violate Section 24(2)(b) of the Cybercrimes Prohibition and Prevention Act 2024, which forbids the dissemination of false information via computer systems that could potentially disrupt public peace and order.
Prosecutors argue that Sowore’s remarks were deliberately crafted to sowore-1-week-retraction-tinubu-post/” title=”BREAKING: DSS Gives … 1-Week Ultimatum to Retract Controversial Post on Tinubu”>incite public disorder and foster dissatisfaction with the President.
The trial is underway, with Sowore appearing in court on Tuesday morning.
Further updates will be provided as the case progresses.
