Omoyele Sowore, the publisher of Sahara Reporters and a two-time presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), has initiated two fundamental rights suits at the Federal High Court in Abuja. These suits, filed against the Department of State Services (DSS), Meta (owners of Facebook), and X Corp, challenge alleged attempts to censor his social media accounts. The legal action was taken by Sowore shortly after the Federal Government, through the DSS, filed a five-count criminal charge against him and the two social media companies.

According to his lawyer, Tope Temokun, the fundamental rights suits aim to protect freedom of speech in Nigeria, referencing Section 39 of the Constitution which guarantees the right to expression. Temokun emphasized that the DSS lacks the legal authority to censor Nigerians on social media and that Meta and X must not serve as instruments of repression. The legal team argued that compliance with unlawful censorship demands from state agencies would render social media companies complicit in suppression of liberty, stating that censorship of political criticism is alien to democracy.

The genesis of the dispute lies in Sowore's posts on August 25 and 26, 2025, where he described President Bola Tinubu as a “criminal” in reaction to the President's statements on corruption during a trip to Brazil. The DSS had previously issued a one-week ultimatum, which expired on September 15, demanding Sowore delete these posts and for X Corp and Meta to deactivate his accounts. The ultimatum also required Sowore to retract the statement with the same prominence on X, publish apologies in at least two national newspapers and two television stations, and submit a formal representation to the DSS headquarters.

Following Sowore's refusal to comply, the DSS, through the Federal Ministry of Justice, filed a five-count charge against Sowore, X Corp, and Meta Platforms Inc. The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/484/2025, alleges that Sowore contravened provisions of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Amendment Act, 2024, and the Criminal Code Act. The specific counts detail the use of his official X handle (@YeleSowore) and Facebook page (Omoyele Sowore) to disseminate messages like '“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!”'

The DSS asserts that these messages were known to be false and were posted to cause a breakdown of law and order among individuals with divergent views on President Tinubu. Furthermore, two counts specifically allege that Sowore knowingly published defamatory material against the President's personality and reputation, contrary to Section 375 of the Criminal Code Act. The final count accuses Sowore of publishing false information with intent to cause public fear and disturbance, violating Section 59 of the Criminal Code Act. Sowore is expected to be arraigned shortly in connection with these charges.