The Federal Government in its legal proceedings against rights activist, Omoyele Sowore has decided to amend the criminal charges filed against him. The prosecution formally requested and secured the removal of global technology corporations Meta—the parent company of Facebook—and X, formerly Twitter, from the list of defendants in the ongoing cybercrime trial.
Okay News reports that this development occurred during the resumed hearing on January 19, 2026, presided over by Justice Mohammed Umar. Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Akinlolu Kehinde, who is leading the prosecution, informed the court of the government’s intent to withdraw the earlier charge and replace it with an amended version filed on December 5, 2025. Consequently, the names of the second and third defendants, X Corp and Meta, were struck out, leaving Sowore to face the allegations alone.
With the corporate entities removed, the court proceeded to read the fresh two-count charge to the activist. The allegations hinge on social media posts made in August 2025, in which Sowore reportedly referred to President Bola Tinubu as a “criminal” via his handles. After seeking clarification from his legal team regarding the specific identity of the handle mentioned in the charge, Sowore entered a plea of not guilty to both counts, denying any violation of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) (Amendment) Act, 2024.
Drama ensued shortly after the plea was taken when the prosecution attempted to open its case by calling its first witness. The defense counsel, Marshal Abubakar, swiftly objected to the commencement of trial, arguing that the prosecution had failed to comply with the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA). Abubakar contended that the defense had not been served with the necessary proofs of evidence, specifically the list of witnesses and their written statements, which are required to prepare an adequate defense.
The prosecution pushed back against this objection, with the learned silk arguing that the constitutional provisions cited by the defense were not strictly mandatory in the current circumstances, suggesting they applied more directly to magistrate court proceedings. He urged the judge to allow the witness, who was present in court, to testify immediately to expedite the trial process.
However, Justice Umar upheld the argument of the defense, emphasizing the need for proper procedure. He directed the prosecution to furnish Sowore’s legal team with all relevant materials, including witness statements, to ensure a fair hearing. The matter has been adjourned to Thursday, January 22, 2026, at which point the court is expected to proceed with the definite hearing of the substantive suit.
