FG files 5-count charge against Sowore
The Federal Government has filed a five-count criminal charge against activist and former presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore for calling President Bola Tinubu a “criminal” in a social media post made in August 2025.
The charges were filed on Tuesday at the Federal High Court in Abuja through the Director of Public Prosecutions, M. B. Abubakar. According to court documents, Sowore is being prosecuted under the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Amendment Act, 2024, and Sections 59 and 375 of the Criminal Code Act.
Meta and X also listed as co-defendants
In a rare legal move, the second and third defendants in the case are social media giants Meta Inc. (Facebook) and X Corp. (formerly Twitter), where the controversial posts were shared.
The post that sparked the charge was published on August 25, 2025, shortly after President Tinubu claimed during a state visit to Brazil that his government had “ended corruption in Nigeria.”
Sowore reacted by writing on both platforms:
“THIS CRIMINAL @OFFICIALPBAT ACTUALLY WENT TO BRAZIL TO STATE THAT THERE IS NO MORE CORRUPTION UNDER HIS REGIME IN NIGERIA. WHAT AUDACITY TO LIE SHAMELESSLY.”
DSS tried to have post removed
The Department of State Services (DSS) reportedly wrote formal letters to both Meta and X, demanding the removal of the post and a ban on Sowore’s accounts. The DSS also reached out to Sowore directly, asking him to take the posts down.
However, neither Sowore nor the platforms complied — a move that appears to have triggered the formal charges.
What the charges say
According to the charge sheet (FHC/ABJ/CR/484/2025), the FG claims Sowore’s post was:
-
False and defamatory
-
Intended to incite public disorder
-
Aimed at tarnishing the image of the President
Each count cites the relevant sections of Nigerian law and emphasizes the alleged intent to “cause a breakdown of law and order,” especially among citizens with divergent political views.
Exhibits include social media screenshots
Among the evidence listed by prosecutors are:
-
Screenshots of Sowore’s posts on X and Facebook
-
Letters written by the DSS to the platforms demanding action
So far, no court date has been set for Sowore or the social media companies to appear.
Human rights concerns emerge
The case has sparked concerns from free speech advocates and groups like Amnesty International, which previously criticized DSS attempts to censor political commentary online.
Sowore, a longtime government critic and publisher of Sahara Reporters, has faced multiple arrests and legal battles since his 2019 presidential run, and this case may reignite debates around freedom of expression in Nigeria’s digital space.
