Anti-Tinubu post: Sowore docked, secures bail on self-recognition

… as court fixes Jan 19 for trial

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri, ABUJA

The Department of State Services (DSS) on Tuesday arraigned an activist and former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, before the Federal High Court in Abuja.

He was docked on a five-count defamation charge for calling President Bola Tinubu a “criminal” in a publication he made on social media platforms.

He was in the charge that was signed by the Director of Public Prosecutions, Federal Ministry of Justice, Mr M. B. Abubakar, alleged to have committed offences contrary to and punishable under Section 24 (1) (b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Amendment Act, 2024, as well as sections 59 and 375 of the Criminal Code Act.

Also cited as 2nd and 3rd defendants in the charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/484/2025 are the two social media platforms where the post was shared – ‘X’ Corp. (formerly Twitter) and Meta (Facebook) Corp..

The contentious post Sowore made on August 25 came after President Tinubu, while on an official visit in Brazil, claimed his administration had successfully ended corruption in Nigeria.

Irked by the post that referenced President Tinubu as a “criminal”, the DSS wrote to the two social media platforms to demand a ban on Sowore’s account and for the said vexatious statement to be pulled down.

The security agency equally wrote a letter to the activist, asking him to delete the post from all the platforms it was shared on.

The charge came after both Sowore and the social media platforms refused to accede to the request by the DSS.

According to the prosecution, the purpose of Sowore’s post was to cause a breakdown of law and order in the country, especially among individuals who hold divergent views on President Tinubu’s personality.

It added that the defamatory post was aimed at tarnishing the personality and reputation of President Tinubu.

Among the exhibits tendered before the court were a printout of Sowore’s posts on X and Facebook, as well as the letters DSS wrote to the two platforms.

When the charge was read to him before trial, Justice Mohammed Umar, Sowore, who was the presidential flag bearer of the AAC in the 2019 and 2023 elections, pleaded not guilty, even as his counsel, Mr Marshall Abubakar, prayed the court to release him on bail pending the determination of the case.

The defence counsel had also informed the court that his client filed a motion to challenge its jurisdiction to entertain the charge.

On his part, the prosecution counsel, Mr Akinolu Kehinde, SAN, opposed the bail application, insisting that the defendant posed a flight risk.

He further applied for time to react to the defendant’s preliminary objection, which he said was just served on him.

In his ruling, Justice Umar held that he was minded to release the defendant on bail.

The trial judge said he took cognisance of the fact that the defendant was not only a presidential candidate in the country but had earlier surrendered his international passport to the court.

Consequently, he granted the defendant bail on self-recognition.

However, the court barred him from making statements capable of jeopardising the peace and security of the country.

Justice Umar warned that the court would not hesitate to revoke the defendant’s bail should he violate the term.

He subsequently adjourned the case to January 19, 2026, for trial.

One of the counts in the charge before the court read: “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, @Yele Sowore, 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, especially among individuals who hold divergent views on the personality of the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu (GCFR), and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 24 (1) (b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Amendment Act, 2024.”

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