FG Sues Sowore, Meta, and X Over “Criminal” Remark Targeting President Tinubu
The Federal Government has initiated legal proceedings against activist and former African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, for referring to President Bola Tinubu as a “criminal” in social media posts.
Filed before the Federal High Court in Abuja, the five-count charge accuses Sowore of publishing false and defamatory content with the intent to incite unrest. The charges were brought by the Director of Public Prosecutions from the Federal Ministry of Justice, Mr. M. B. Abubakar.
Also named in the case — marked FHC/ABJ/CR/484/2025 — are Meta Inc. (owners of Facebook) and X Corp. (formerly Twitter), as second and third defendants. The government alleges that both platforms hosted the offending posts and failed to act on official takedown requests.
The controversial post, dated August 25, 2025, followed a statement by President Tinubu during an official visit to Brazil, where he claimed that his administration had eliminated corruption in Nigeria. In response, Sowore posted on X:
“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.”
A similar post was also shared on his verified Facebook page the next day.
The Department of State Services (DSS), in reaction, sent formal requests to both social media companies demanding Sowore’s account be suspended and the posts removed. Letters were also sent directly to Sowore instructing him to delete the remarks. According to court filings, the legal action followed after both the activist and the platforms refused to comply.
The government contends that the posts were not only false but deliberately aimed at provoking public disorder and sowing division among citizens, particularly those with opposing political views. The charges cite Section 24 (1)(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Amendment Act, 2024, and Sections 59 and 375 of the Criminal Code Act.
Some of the specific charges against Sowore read:
That on August 25, 2025, Sowore, via his official X account @YeleSowore, knowingly shared a false message describing President Tinubu as a “criminal,” with the intent of inciting disruption and undermining national stability.
That on August 26, 2025, the same message was shared via his Facebook page, again with the intent to trigger public unrest.
That Sowore, using his X platform, published defamatory content targeting the President’s character, in violation of criminal statutes.
Among the evidence the Federal Government plans to present are screenshots of Sowore’s social media posts, as well as the DSS’s correspondence with Meta and X.
As of now, no date has been scheduled for Sowore or the two tech companies to appear in court for arraignment.
