The Department of State Services (DSS) has filed charges against human rights activist and Sahara Reporters publisher, Omoyele Sowore, accusing him of publishing “false, malicious, and inciting” statements about President Bola Tinubu on social media.
A team of lawyers led by Muhammed Abubakar, Director of Public Prosecutions at the Ministry of Justice, filed the case after Sowore allegedly ignored a one-week ultimatum, which expired on September 8, to delete the contentious posts from his official X and Facebook accounts.
One of the charges cited a post in which Sowore described the President as a “criminal” and accused him of lying about the state of corruption in Nigeria. The DSS claims the remarks were false and intended to cause public disorder.
The charges, brought under the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Amendment Act 2024 and the Criminal Code Act, include spreading false information, defamation, and attempting to incite fear. A fifth count specifically alleges that Sowore intended to provoke public disturbance.
In a rare move, the DSS also listed X Corp and Meta Inc. as co-defendants, holding them responsible for failing to delete Sowore’s accounts despite formal requests.
Sowore, a vocal critic of successive Nigerian governments, has responded defiantly: “I will be available whenever the case is assigned,” he said, indicating readiness to face trial.
The case has stirred public debate, with critics warning it could further shrink civic space. Human rights lawyer Femi Falana, SAN, argued that security agencies lack the power to prosecute citizens for cyberstalking, insults, or “causing annoyance,” noting such provisions were repealed under the amended cybercrime law.
Observers say the trial could set a landmark precedent on the limits of online free expression, the enforcement of Nigeria’s cybercrime laws, and the accountability of social media companies for user content.
