DSS Targets Activist Sowore: Agency Admits 'Making an Example' as Lawyer Demands N500M Damages

Nigeria's legal and security landscape is currently grappling with the rigorous enforcement of the Cybercrimes Act, 2024, juxtaposed with growing concerns over its application and the conduct of security agencies. The Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Oluwatosin Adeola Ajayi, recently advocated for stricter enforcement and punishment for offenders, particularly those who criticize or disagree with government officials or individuals online. Speaking in Abuja during the public presentation of legal texts on electronic evidence, Ajayi emphasized the need for enhanced collaboration among investigators, prosecutors, and the judiciary to ensure effective legal enforcement and appropriate sanctions for offenders. He articulated the DSS’s strategy of deliberately prosecuting carefully selected cybercrime cases to serve as a strong deterrent, stating, "If you convict one, that has an impact. Others will be deterred."

Ajayi disclosed that the DSS is actively prosecuting several individuals under the Cybercrimes Act, highlighting that certain high-impact cases have been chosen to bolster public confidence in the law's enforcement. Among these, he revealed an ongoing prosecution involving a presidential candidate accused of making online statements against the President. While declining to name the individual due to the sub-judice nature of the case, it was revealed that he was referring to Omoyele Sowore, the African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate. The secret police are prosecuting Sowore for alleged cyberstalking and criminal defamation, stemming from social media posts that labelled President Tinubu a "criminal." This case, which includes allegations of inciting public disturbance and involves a ₦200 million bail bond, underscores an escalation in legal actions against critical online speech.

The DSS Director-General further warned that the scope of cybercrime extends far beyond internet fraud, asserting that unchecked online incitement and irresponsible digital conduct could potentially fuel violence and pose significant threats to national security. He reiterated the call for greater collaboration among judicial stakeholders, believing that effective convictions under the Cybercrimes Act would dissuade future offenders. However, this stern approach has not gone unchallenged. Wole Olanipekun (SAN), former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, called for a thorough judicial review of the controversial Section 24 of the Cybercrimes Act. Olanipekun urged legal professionals and academics to critically examine this legislation, arguing that any law impacting citizens' constitutional rights, especially freedom of expression, must be continually scrutinized and tested against fundamental principles. He specifically tasked the author of the presented books with undertaking a comprehensive review of this provision, emphasizing the need for a balance between protecting citizens from cyber-enabled offenses and safeguarding guaranteed freedoms.

Adding another dimension to the discussion, the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, linked cybercrime and financial crimes directly to Nigeria's escalating insecurity and economic woes. He posited that illicit financial activities provide sustenance for terrorism, kidnapping, and organized crime. Olukoyede shared an anecdote about a judge who allegedly lost ₦7.2 million to an online scam, illustrating the devastating real-world consequences of cyber-enabled financial crimes. Beyond mere fraud, he disclosed that the EFCC had recently prosecuted approximately 70 individuals for facilitating terrorism financing. The EFCC Chairman also announced the commission's deployment of artificial intelligence (AI) in criminal investigations, simultaneously highlighting the existing gap in Nigeria's legal framework regarding the admissibility of AI-generated evidence, urging lawmakers to develop appropriate legislation. Concurring with the importance of technological advancements in law, Mrs. Beatrice Ejodamen Jedy-Agba, the Solicitor-General of the Federation, described electronic evidence as indispensable for the administration of justice in an increasingly digital world, commending scholarly contributions that enrich Nigeria's jurisprudence on the matter.

While the focus remains on enforcing cyber laws, incidents involving security operatives have raised concerns about civil liberties and due process. Legal practitioner Chibuike Ezemuo Okoro recently petitioned the Director-General of the State Security Service (SSS), also known as the DSS, alleging assault, harassment, and obstruction of his professional duties at the Federal High Court in Abuja. The petition, dated July 2, 2026, details an incident on June 24, 2026, when Okoro, a lawyer with Deogratias & Associates, was allegedly prevented by DSS officers from accessing a courtroom for a scheduled appearance. Despite identifying himself and presenting his case files, the situation reportedly escalated into a "barrage of unmitigated assault," including blows, kicks, punches, and slaps, which allegedly pushed him to the floor, tore his robes, and destroyed his case file, preventing him from representing his client.

Okoro's petition demands an immediate investigation into the officers involved, a public apology published in national media, a written undertaking from the DSS to cease obstructing lawyers' access to courts, and a payment of ₦500 million as damages for the alleged violation of his fundamental rights and injury to his professional reputation. The petition, accompanied by a viral video of the alleged incident, was copied to several high-profile legal bodies, including the Attorney-General of the Federation and the President of the Nigerian Bar Association, with a warning of further legal action, including claims for ₦5 billion, if demands are not met within seven days. Okoro clarified that the assault occurred while he was attempting to access the courtroom where human rights activist and AAC presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore's case was also scheduled, connecting his ordeal to the ongoing trial.

This incident is not isolated; DSS operatives have consistently been accused of creating chaotic scenes during Omoyele Sowore's cybercrime trial at the Federal High Court. Armed, often masked, officers have reportedly secured court premises to hold Sowore, simultaneously intimidating, blocking, and harassing lawyers, journalists, and members of the public seeking access. Accounts from multiple hearings detail armed DSS and correctional officers completely barricading court entrances, severely restricting movement. Lawyers and litigants attempting to perform their legal duties have been stopped, forced to explain themselves to armed personnel, and in documented cases, violently shoved and assaulted for demanding entry. These actions highlight a contentious intersection between national security enforcement, the right to legal representation, and public access to justice in Nigeria.