The Federal High Court in Abuja has adjourned Omoyele Sowore’s cybercrime trial until Friday, October 2, after a courtroom exchange over reports that the State Security Service (SSS) planned to seek a suspension of the case until after the 2027 presidential election.
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At Monday’s sitting before Justice Mohammed Umar, Sowore’s lead counsel, Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika, SAN, raised the reported plan. Counsel to the SSS, Akinlolu Kehinde, SAN, denied knowing of any such directive. He said he was unaware of the statements and media reports and described the accounts as creations of social media.
The denial has drawn attention because the proposed suspension was reported in August as a decision by the agency. It was reported earlier that the SSS media unit had shared a statement indicating that Director-General Oluwatosin Ajayi directed counsel to take steps to pause the trial so Sowore, the African Action Congress presidential candidate, could participate fully in the electoral process. Other reports said the decision followed an August 20 meeting between Ajayi, Kehinde and senior officials of the agency’s legal directorate.
It was subsequently reported that Kehinde discussed the proposed move with the newspaper by telephone. According to its August 31 report, he cited international instruments relating to democratic participation and said a decision to adjourn the trial would rest with the court. Monday’s denial therefore leaves a question about the earlier agency statement and the interview attributed to him. No order suspending the trial was made at Monday’s sitting.
Before the hearing, SaharaReporters reported that the SSS had changed its position and instructed its counsel to continue the prosecution. Its account also attributed the alleged change to dissatisfaction with Sowore’s criticism of President Bola Tinubu and his political activities. That suggested motive has not been established in court.
Sowore is being prosecuted over social media posts in which he described Tinubu as a “criminal.” He has pleaded not guilty to the charges brought under Nigeria’s cybercrime legislation. The prosecution had earlier amended its case, reducing the counts against him and removing the social media companies initially named alongside him.
The defence previously sought to summon Ajayi after an SSS official could not answer some of its questions. Olumide-Fusika later withdrew the request for the director-general’s appearance following an intervention involving Attorney-General of the Federation Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, while another SSS official was to give evidence.
Proceedings had also stalled on August 3 after Kehinde accused the defence of employing “dilatory tactics” and asked the court to foreclose its case. Olumide-Fusika rejected the allegation and accused the prosecution counsel of acting like a “persecutor.” Justice Umar intervened and adjourned the matter.
The case is now scheduled to resume on Friday for the appearance of a subpoenaed SSS witness and continuation of proceedings.
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