Godsent Ogbebor
Sowore Challenges DSS in Court Over Censorship of Anti-Tinubu Posts
Rights activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, has filed two suits at the Federal High Court in Abuja against the Department of State Services (DSS), Meta, and X (formerly Twitter) over what he described as an attempt to censor his social media accounts.
The legal action, instituted by his lawyer, Tope Temokun, came a day after the DSS filed a five-count criminal charge against Sowore and the two tech companies, accusing them of spreading false information and defaming President Bola Tinubu through online posts.
Sowore, in his filing, argued that the move to pressure Meta and X into deleting his posts violated his right to free expression and posed a threat to free speech in Nigeria. He asked the court to stop what he called unlawful censorship of his online platforms.
Read also: Police Defend Sowore’s Detention Over Forgery and Cyberbullying Allegations
Confirming the matter in a post on Facebook, Sowore said the DSS accused him of committing offences because he described Tinubu as a criminal in a social media post. He dismissed the charges as “novel offences invented” to silence criticism of the government.
The DSS, in its charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/481/2025, alleged that Sowore used his X and Facebook accounts in August to circulate false messages capable of inciting public disorder. The prosecution relied on provisions of the Cybercrimes Prohibition and Prevention Act 2024 as well as the Criminal Code.
Despite the charges, Sowore maintained that he would appear in court whenever the case is scheduled, insisting that the matter is not just about him but about protecting the rights of all Nigerians to speak freely.
