Abuja, Nigeria – September 16, 2025
Nigeria’s Department of State Services (DSS) has filed a five-count charge against opposition activist Omoyele Sowore, alongside social media giants X Corp and Meta, over posts critical of President Bola Tinubu.
The suit, lodged at the Federal High Court in Abuja, alleges Sowore refused to delete posts in which he described Tinubu as a “criminal.” The charges were filed by the Federal Ministry of Justice on behalf of the DSS.
Sowore, a former presidential candidate and pro-democracy campaigner, confirmed the case on Facebook, calling the accusations “novel offences they invented” and vowing to appear in court:
“One option I will NOT be taking is deleting that Tweet. Thank you, @X.”
X Corp notified Sowore that it had received a legal request from the DSS but said it had not taken action, citing its policy of defending free expression. Meta, which owns Facebook, was also named in the filing, though its response remains unclear.
The case marks one of the most high-profile attempts by Nigerian authorities to hold tech platforms legally accountable for user content, raising global concerns over digital rights and free speech in Africa’s largest democracy.
Civil society groups warn the prosecution could deepen tensions between government regulators and social media platforms already facing pressure worldwide to comply with local censorship demands.
Comments