The Department of State Services (DSS) has filed a five-count criminal charge against politician and publisher, Omoyele Sowore, for allegedly making a false and defamatory claim against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu by referring to him as a “criminal.”
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The charge, filed on Tuesday before the Federal High Court in Abuja and marked FHC/ABJ/CR/484/2025, also lists Meta (Facebook) Inc. and X Inc. as co-defendants alongside Sowore.
According to court documents, the DSS accused Sowore, the African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate in 2019 and 2023 and publisher of Sahara Reporters, of contravening provisions of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Amendment Act, 2024 and the Criminal Code Act through his posts on X and Facebook.
The secret police stated that the posts in question, made between August 25 and 26, 2025, described President Tinubu as a “criminal” and accused him of lying about corruption in Nigeria during a visit to Brazil.
The DSS said Sowore knew the claims were false but published them “for the purpose of causing a breakdown of law and order in the country, especially among individuals who hold divergent views on the personality of the President and Commander-in-Chief.”
The counts include allegations of:
- Publishing false information with intent to cause public fear and disturbance.
- Using X and Facebook to circulate defamatory material against the President.
- Violating Section 24 (1)(b) of the Cybercrimes Act.
- Offences under Sections 375 and 59 of the Criminal Code Act.
One count specifically reads:
“That you, Omoyele Sowore, adult, male, on or about the 25th day of August, 2025, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did use your official X handle page, @YeleSowore, to send out a message/tweet as: ‘THIS CRIMINAL @ OFFICIAL PBAT ACTUALLY WENT TO BRAZIL TO STATE THAT THERE IS NO MORE CORRUPTION UNDER HIS REGIME IN NIGERIA. WHAT AUDACITY TO LIE SHAMELESSLY!,’ which you know the said message to be false but posted it for the purpose of causing a breakdown of law and order in the country…”
Sowore is expected to be arraigned on the charge in Abuja soon.
The development follows a recent DSS request to Meta (Facebook) and X to take down Sowore’s posts, which the platforms allegedly failed to comply with.
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