Sowore's Legal Battle & Political Fury Explodes as DSS Revives Prosecution
The Department of State Services (DSS) has reversed its decision to suspend Omoyele Sowore's trial, citing his continued criticism of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Sowore, upon returning to Nigeria, intensified his attacks on Tinubu's prolonged absence and health, while the DSS counsel in court denied ever planning a suspension. The activist also outlined his 2027 campaign promises and defended his political stances, including his rejection of an opposition coalition and participation in a pro-Palestine rally.
The Department of State Services (DSS) has reportedly reversed its earlier decision to seek the suspension of human rights activist and African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore's trial until after the 2027 general election. Sources close to the matter indicate that the DSS had initially intended to suspend the trial to allow Sowore full participation in the electioneering process, a directive reportedly issued barely a month prior to the reversal. However, this position shifted due to the agency's dissatisfaction with Sowore's persistent criticism of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his administration.
Sowore, who returned to Nigeria from the United States on Sunday, September 27, 2026, immediately resumed his critique of President Tinubu, particularly concerning the President's prolonged absence from the country and the state of governance. He had consistently rejected the DSS's initial proposal for a trial suspension, insisting that the charges against him should be entirely withdrawn, along with an apology and the return of electronic devices seized from him and his associates since 2019.
During Monday's Federal High Court proceedings in Abuja, a striking discrepancy emerged. While SaharaReporters had reported the DSS's reversal to continue prosecution, the DSS counsel, Akinlolu Kehinde, SAN, denied in open court any knowledge of claims or media reports suggesting the agency had directed a suspension of the trial. He dismissed such accounts as