Nigeria’s Department of State Services (DSS) has filed a lawsuit against human rights activist Omoyele Sowore, alongside Meta (parent of Facebook) and X Corp (formerly Twitter), over a social media post that criticized President Bola Tinubu.
The dispute stems from Sowore’s posts on X and Facebook, where he described Tinubu as a “criminal” and accused him of making false corruption claims during an official trip to Brazil. The DSS demanded that Sowore retract the statement, issue a public apology, and delete the posts. Sowore refused, citing constitutional protections around free speech.
The DSS has brought five counts against Sowore, which include:
- Publishing false information with intent to disrupt public order
- Defamation by labeling Tinubu a criminal
- Spreading falsehoods aimed at inciting fear and disturbance
Unusually, the DSS also named Meta and X as co-defendants, alleging they enabled the distribution of Sowore’s statements and ignored requests to remove the content or suspend his accounts. The move signals a growing willingness by Nigerian authorities to hold platforms directly accountable for user content.
Sowore has vowed to contest the charges. On X, he wrote:
“The State Security Service today filed a 5-count charge at the Federal High Court in Abuja against ‘X,’ Facebook, and myself. They claimed that because I called Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu a criminal, I have somehow committed a set of ‘novel’ offences they invented.”
He added that he would appear whenever the case is assigned to a judge.
The lawsuit has already triggered debate over the boundaries of free speech in Nigeria and the role of global tech platforms in moderating political content. Supporters argue the case is an attempt to stifle dissent and silence activists. Critics of Sowore say his language risks inflaming unrest in a politically sensitive environment.
The case has yet to be assigned to a judge, and no date is set for Sowore’s arraignment. But the outcome could shape the future of online expression, activism, and platform liability in Nigeria.
If the courts side with the DSS, the ruling may embolden regulators to pressure platforms into faster compliance with government takedown requests. If Sowore prevails, it could reinforce freedom of expression in one of Africa’s largest democracies.
