The Department of State Services (DSS) has filed a five-count criminal charge against activist and publisher, Omoyele Sowore, over social media posts allegedly aimed at inciting unrest and defaming President Bola Tinubu.
The charges, entered on Tuesday at the Federal High Court, Abuja, also listed social media platforms X (formerly Twitter) and Meta (owners of Facebook) as co-defendants.
According to the court documents marked FHC/ABJ/CR/481/2025, Sowore allegedly used his verified X handle, @YeleSowore, and his Facebook page to describe President Tinubu as “a criminal,” while accusing him of lying during an official trip to Brazil.
The DSS, prosecuting on behalf of the Federal Government, accused him of:
1. Spreading false information — posting a message on his X handle on August 25, 2025, which the agency said was false and intended to cause a breakdown of law and order, contrary to Section 24(2)(b) of the Cybercrimes Prohibition and Prevention Act, 2024.
2. Repetition of false publication — re-posting the same message on Facebook a day later, August 26, 2025, also contrary to Section 24(2)(b) of the Cybercrimes Act.
3. Defamation on X — publishing the post on his X account to damage the reputation of the President, an offence contrary to Section 375 of the Criminal Code Act.
4. Defamation on Facebook — repeating the same defamatory material on his Facebook page, also contrary to Section 375 of the Criminal Code Act.
5. Intent to cause public fear and disturbance — using both X and Facebook to circulate the statement with the alleged aim of instigating unrest, contrary to Section 59 of the Criminal Code Act.
The charges were signed by the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation (DPPF), Mohammed Babadoko Abubakar.
No date has yet been fixed for Sowore’s arraignment.
Two weeks ago, the DSS had warned the activist to delete the posts or face prosecution. Sowore, a consistent critic of successive governments, is yet to officially respond to the latest charges.
