Just In: Alleged cyberbullying of President — DSS’ trial of Sowore begins Jan 22

The trial of activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, over alleged cyberbullying of the President is set to commence on January 22.

The case, instituted by the Department of State Services (DSS), is scheduled to be heard before a Federal High Court, where Sowore is expected to take his plea on charges bordering on cyberbullying and related offences.
According to court documents, the DSS alleges that Sowore made statements and online publications deemed offensive and injurious to the person of the President, actions the agency claims contravene provisions of the Cybercrimes Act.

The Federal Government had on Monday dropped Meta Platforms Inc. (Facebook) and Elon Musk’s X Inc. (formerly Twitter) from the amended cyberbullying charges filed against Sowore.
The development was disclosed on Monday before Justice Mohammed Umar of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja.

Prosecution counsel, A.T. Kehinde, SAN, had informed the court that an amended charge dated December 5, 2025, had been filed, removing Meta and X as co-defendants. He consequently withdrew the earlier charge that included the two technology companies.
Counsel to Sowore, Abubakar Marshal, confirmed receipt of the amended charge and raised no objection to it being read in open court. Lawyers representing Meta and X, Paul Ihuoma and Christabel D., also told the court that their clients’ names had been removed from the case.
In his ruling, Justice Umar ordered that the names of Meta and X be struck out and directed that the amended charge be read to Sowore.
During proceedings, Sowore queried the reference to “officialABAT” in the amended charge, noting that the withdrawn charge had explicitly accused him of cyberbullying the President of Nigeria. After consulting with his lawyer, Sowore consented to the charge being read and subsequently pleaded not guilty to the two-count charge.
The prosecution alleged that Sowore made false statements on social media capable of inciting a breakdown of law and order. One of the counts accuses him of publishing a post via his verified X handle, @YeleSowore, describing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as a “criminal” over remarks made during a visit to Brazil. The Federal Government said the post violated Section 24(1)(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Amendment Act, 2024.
As exhibits, the prosecution listed printouts of Sowore’s posts on X and Facebook, letters allegedly written by the complainant to both platforms, comments and reactions on X, and a video recording of President Tinubu’s comments in Brazil. An unnamed investigating officer was also listed as a witness, with the prosecution reserving the right to call additional witnesses.
When the prosecution sought to begin trial immediately, Sowore’s counsel objected, arguing that the requirements of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) had not been met, particularly the failure to front-load Sowore’s statement, witness lists, and summaries of testimonies.
Justice Umar agreed with the defence, ruling that summaries of witnesses’ testimonies must accompany the charge. “Even if it is an evil spirit that is listed as a witness, the case summary must be attached,” the judge stated.
The court ordered the prosecution to provide all required materials to the defence and adjourned the case to January 22 for further hearing.
The case had earlier generated controversy after the Federal Government initially arraigned Sowore alongside Meta and X, alleging that the platforms facilitated the publication of the disputed content. Meta had challenged its inclusion, arguing that the charge lacked legal basis and questioning the propriety of serving criminal charges on a foreign company without a court order.
The matter has reignited debate over the use of Nigeria’s Cybercrimes Act, with civil society groups warning against what they describe as its growing use to curb free expression and target critics of government.