The Department of State Services (DSS) has filed a criminal suit against activist Omoyele Sowore and social media platforms Meta Platforms Inc. and X Corp. at the Federal High Court in Abuja over alleged defamatory posts against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
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The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/484/2025, was filed on Tuesday, September 16.
Allegations Against Sowore
According to court filings, Sowore used his verified X handle and Facebook page to describe President Tinubu as a “criminal” in posts published around August 25 and 26, 2025.
The DSS said the posts contravened provisions of:
* Section 24(1)(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Amendment Act, 2024,
* Section 375 of the Criminal Code Act, and
* Section 59 of the Criminal Code Act relating to public peace and defamation.
DSS’ Previous Demands
Before approaching the court, the DSS wrote letters to Sowore, Meta, and X Corp., demanding that the posts be deleted, retracted, and followed by a public apology. The agency said none of the demands were met.
Exhibits
Listed exhibits include copies of the contested posts on X and Facebook, DSS’ correspondences with the companies, and Sowore’s replies.
Sowore’s Response
Sowore has reacted, insisting that he would not delete the posts or apologise. He maintained that his comments fall under his constitutional right to free speech but confirmed he is ready to appear in court when summoned.
Case Status
As of press time, no judge has been assigned to handle the case, and a date for Sowore’s arraignment has not been fixed.
