The Federal High Court in Abuja has postponed the arraignment of Sahara Reporters publisher, Omoyele Sowore, to November 5.
The proceeding, which was scheduled for Monday, could not hold due to the absence of the presiding judge, Justice Mohammed Umar, who was reportedly sitting in another division of the court.
The case, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/484/2025, involves Sowore and two major social media companies, X Inc. (formerly Twitter) and Meta (Facebook) Inc., listed as the first to third defendants, respectively.
Justice Umar had earlier fixed the hearing for October 28 to allow Sowore sufficient time to prepare for his defence. However, with the judge unavailable, the court adjourned to November 5 for the defendants to take their pleas.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Sowore, who was the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) in the 2019 and 2023 elections, faces a five-count charge filed by the Department of State Services (DSS) on behalf of the Federal Government.
The DSS alleges that Sowore made false statements against President Bola Tinubu, referring to him as “a criminal” on his X and Facebook accounts. The post in question reportedly read: “THIS CRIMINAL @ OFFICIAL PBAT ACTUALLY WENT TO BRAZIL TO STATE THAT THERE IS NO MORE CORRUPTION UNDER HIS REGIME IN NIGERIA. WHAT AUDACITY TO LIE SHAMELESSLY!”
The government claims the message was false and intended to cause public unrest among Nigerians with differing political opinions about the President.
Sowore’s comments are said to have violated Section 24 (1)(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Amendment Act, 2024, which prohibits the use of electronic communication to spread false information likely to cause public disorder.
The DSS had earlier requested that X Inc. and Meta take down the alleged defamatory posts from their platforms before filing the charges.
Sowore, a prominent activist and vocal critic of the government, has long been known for his online campaigns advocating for transparency and accountability. This case marks the latest in a series of legal battles between him and the Nigerian government over his social and political activism.
What You Should Know
Omoyele Sowore’s arraignment before the Federal High Court in Abuja has been rescheduled to November 5 after the presiding judge was unavailable.
The Sahara Reporters publisher faces five counts under the Cybercrimes Act 2024 for allegedly posting false information about President Bola Tinubu on social media.
The Department of State Services claims his post was aimed at inciting public disorder, while Sowore maintains his criticism of the government falls within his right to free speech. Social media platforms X and Meta are also listed as co-defendants in the suit.
