The Department of State Services (DSS) has filed a five-count charge against activist Omoyele Sowore, alongside X Corp and Meta, over posts critical of President Bola Tinubu.
“They claimed that because I called Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu a criminal, I have somehow committed a set of ‘novel’ offences.”
Legal Battle Opens in Abuja
Filed on September 16, 2025, at the Federal High Court, the case accuses Sowore of refusing to delete a tweet calling Tinubu “a criminal.” The Director of Public Prosecutions, M.B. Abubakar, led a team of four DSS lawyers in drafting the charges.
Sowore confirmed the development on Facebook: “They claimed that because I called Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu a criminal, I have somehow committed a set of ‘novel’ offences.” He added that he will appear in court but will not retract his post.
X, for its part, notified Sowore that the DSS had submitted a legal request but confirmed no action had yet been taken on the post.
Free Speech on Trial
Sowore, a former presidential candidate and human rights campaigner, has faced repeated clashes with the DSS since launching his #RevolutionNow movement in 2019. His continued defiance positions the new case as a major confrontation between state security and digital activism.
Globally, the lawsuit mirrors efforts in countries such as India, Turkey and Russia, where governments have pressured platforms to take down content critical of political leaders. Legal experts warn that the Nigerian case could test constitutional protections on free expression and digital freedoms.
Tech Giants in the Crosshairs
The DSS suit directly names X Corp and Meta, raising questions about how far governments can go in compelling foreign tech companies to comply with national security demands. Analysts say the outcome could shape the operating environment for global platforms in Nigeria and influence wider debates about regulation across Africa.
Civil society groups are expected to rally behind Sowore, framing the trial as an attempt to silence dissent. For Tinubu’s government, the case represents a gamble: either reinforce authority or risk backlash over shrinking civic space.
A trial date is yet to be set, but the case is already being viewed as a defining battle over free speech, digital rights, and the limits of state power in Nigeria.
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