The Department of State Services (DSS) has filed a five-count charge at the Federal High Court in Abuja against African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, over social media posts described as “false, malicious, and inciting” against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The suit, filed by a team of government lawyers led by Muhammed Abubakar, a Director of Public Prosecutions at the Federal Ministry of Justice, also lists social media giants X Corp and Meta Inc. (owners of Facebook) as co-defendants.
The DSS had on September 8 issued Sowore a one-week ultimatum to delete the controversial posts, but the deadline elapsed on Monday without compliance. Similarly, X Corp and Meta failed to honour a separate demand from the agency to deactivate Sowore’s accounts.
According to the charges, Sowore, via his official handles on X and Facebook, allegedly described President Tinubu as a “criminal” while accusing him of lying about corruption in Nigeria during a trip to Brazil. The DSS argued that the statements were false, defamatory, and intended to incite public disorder.
The five counts include cybercrime violations under Section 24 (1)(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Amendment Act, 2024, as well as criminal defamation and publication of false information contrary to Sections 375 and 59 of the Criminal Code Act.
In one of the counts, the DSS stated: “That you, Omoyele Sowore, on or about the 25th day of August, 2025, using your official X handle @YeleSowore, knowingly posted false material against the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, with the intent of causing a breakdown of law and order.”
Meanwhile, Sowore has reacted to the charges, saying he will be available in court once the case is assigned for trial.
