The Department of State Services (DSS) has summoned Omoyele Sowore, publisher of Sahara Reporters, over a social media post deemed “false and malicious” against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The agency accused Sowore of referring to the President as a “criminal” in an August 26 post, where he mocked Tinubu’s statement on corruption in Brazil.
The DSS described the post as “repugnant, derogatory, and capable of inciting public disturbance”.
Sowore has been asked to retract the comment on X (formerly Twitter) and tender a public apology within one week, publish apologies in at least two national dailies and two television stations, and send a representation to the DSS headquarters in Abuja or via email.
The agency warned that failure to comply would lead to lawful measures, citing its mandate to counter misinformation that could undermine national unity.
The DSS also copied the United States Embassy in Abuja, notifying it of the development. Sowore, however, has vowed not to delete the tweet, describing the DSS’s move as an attempt to silence him.
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has condemned the DSS’s action, warning that it threatens human rights and undermines freedom of expression in Nigeria.
