The Department of State Services (DSS) has filed a five-count charge against human rights activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, alongside social media platforms X Corporation (formerly Twitter) and Meta Incorporation (owners of Facebook and Instagram).
The charges, dated September 16, 2025, were instituted at the Federal High Court in Abuja. They stemmed from Sowore’s refusal to delete online posts criticizing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Representing the DSS and the Federal Government, the legal team was led by M.B. Abubakar, Director of Public Prosecutions at the Federal Ministry of Justice. He was supported by four counsel to the DSS: M.E. Ernest, U.B. Bulla, Dr. C.S. Eze, and E.G. Orubor.
Confirming the lawsuit on his official Facebook page, Sowore wrote:
“The State Security Service, alias @OfficialDSSNG today filed a 5-count charge at the Federal High Court in Abuja against ‘X’ (formerly Twitter), Facebook, and myself. They claimed that because I called Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu a criminal, I have somehow committed a set of ‘novel’ offences they invented and spread across five counts.”
Sowore vowed to appear in court whenever the trial date is fixed, declaring:
“It’s hard to believe there’s anyone sensible left in these offices that should be making Nigeria work. Regardless, I will be present whenever this case is assigned for trial. #RevolutionNow.”
okay.ng reports that the activist, who ran under the African Action Congress (AAC) in the 2023 presidential election, had earlier rejected demands from the DSS to delete the controversial post.
In a separate statement, Sowore revealed that X Corporation officially contacted him regarding a legal request from the DSS. He stressed that he would not delete the post.
“One option I will NOT be taking is deleting that Tweet. Thank you, @X,” he stated.
X Corporation also confirmed the DSS’ legal request in a message to Sowore. The platform explained that while they had not taken action on the post, users are always notified when such government requests are received.
The message read in part:
“In the interest of transparency, we are writing to inform you that X has received a request from the Department of State Services regarding your account… We have not taken any action on the reported content at this time.”
The platform further encouraged Sowore to seek legal advice or civil society support if necessary.
