The Federal Government, acting through the Department of State Services, on Tuesday filed criminal charges against activist and African Action Congress leader, Omoyele Sowore, over a social media post where he described President Bola Tinubu as a criminal.
The case, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/481/2025, was filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja by the Director of Public Prosecutions at the Federal Ministry of Justice, M. B. Abubakar. The charges also listed Meta, owners of Facebook, and X (formerly Twitter) as co-defendants. Government prosecutors argued that Sowore’s comments violated provisions of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Amendment Act, 2024, and sections of the Criminal Code.
The controversy began when Tinubu, during a visit to Brazil, claimed his administration had rooted out corruption in Nigeria. In response, Sowore, through his verified X account, accused the President of lying and described him as a criminal. The DSS wrote to Sowore demanding that he take down the posts, while also petitioning Meta and X Corp. to delete his accounts.
Sowore refused to comply, insisting that his statements were within his right to criticize government officials. He maintained that he would not withdraw his remarks, arguing that holding leaders accountable is a civic responsibility.
Following the criminal charges, Sowore, through his lawyer, Tope Temokun, filed a counter-suit at the Federal High Court in Abuja. The suit seeks to stop the DSS from directing social media companies to delete his posts or tamper with his accounts. He argued that such moves amount to unconstitutional censorship and a violation of his freedom of expression under Section 39 of the 1999 Constitution.
In his filing, Sowore also called on Meta and X not to yield to state pressure by taking down political criticism, warning that doing so would turn the platforms into instruments of repression. He stressed that free speech must be protected, warning that today’s censorship could set a precedent for silencing all Nigerians tomorrow.
Both the government’s case and Sowore’s counter-suit had not yet been assigned to a judge as of Tuesday. The legal battle is expected to shape debates on free speech, digital rights, and government control of online platforms in Nigeria.