The Department of State Services (DSS) has filed a five-count charge before the Federal High Court in Abuja against Omoyele Sowore, presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), over social media posts about President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
In the charge, X Corp and Meta Inc. (the parent companies of X and Facebook) were also listed as defendants. The filing was made by the Director of Public Prosecutions at the Federal Ministry of Justice, Muhammed Abubakar, alongside lawyers representing the DSS and the federal government.
Earlier, on September 8, the DSS had issued Sowore a one-week ultimatum to delete what it described as a “false, malicious, and inciting” post about President Tinubu. The deadline expired without Sowore removing the posts. Similarly, X Corp and Meta did not comply with DSS demands to take down Sowore’s accounts.
The first charge alleges that Sowore, on August 25, 2025, used his X account, @YeleSowore, to post: “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 DSS claims Sowore knew the message was false but shared it to incite disorder, an offence under Section 24 (1)(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Amendment Act, 2024.
The second count mirrors the first, accusing Sowore of making the same statement on his official Facebook page on August 26, 2025, with the intent of stirring unrest in the country.
In the third count, the DSS accuses him of knowingly publishing defamatory material on X, aimed at damaging the reputation of President Tinubu, an offence under Section 375 of the Criminal Code Act. The fourth count raises the same accusation, but based on the post made on Facebook.
The fifth charge accuses Sowore of publishing the statement on both platforms with the intention of creating public fear and disturbance, thereby violating Section 59 of the Criminal Code Act.
In response, Sowore stated that he would make himself available once the case is assigned for trial, indicating readiness to defend himself in court.
What you should know
Omoyele Sowore, AAC presidential candidate and activist, is facing five separate charges filed by the DSS over social media posts criticizing President Tinubu.
The case, which also names X Corp and Meta as defendants, could test the boundaries between freedom of expression and government regulation of online content in Nigeria.
