Trial of Sowore by DSS over Alleged Cyberbullying of President Begins Jan 22

Linus Aleke in Abuja

The Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed January 22, 2026, for the commencement of trial in the case brought by the Department of State Services (DSS) against Omoyele Sowore, over alleged cyberstalking and criminal defamation of President Bola Tinubu.

Justice Mohammed Garba Umar set the trial date after Sowore was arraigned on an amended two-count charge bordering on alleged cyberbullying of the president through social media posts.

The DSS had initially, in September 2025, filed a five-count charge against Sowore alongside X Corp and Meta Platforms Inc. over posts in which President Tinubu was described as a “criminal.”

However, following an application by counsel to the DSS, Akinlolu Kehinde, SAN, the court, yesterday, struck out the names of the two foreign technology companies from the suit.

In a brief ruling, Justice Umar held that X Corp, owner of the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), and Meta Platforms Inc., the parent company of Facebook, were no longer proper parties to the proceedings and accordingly removed them as co-defendants.

Subsequently, an amended charge dated December 5, 2025, was filed against Sowore alone.

The charge, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/484/2025 and signed by Kehinde on behalf of the federal government, accused him of cyberstalking contrary to the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention and Amendment) Act, 2024.

According to the prosecution, Sowore allegedly used his verified X handle, @YeleSowore, on or about August 25, 2025, to post a message describing Tinubu as a “criminal” in relation to the President’s remarks in Brazil on Nigeria’s anti-corruption efforts.

The DSS claimed the post was knowingly false and capable of causing a breakdown of law and order.

The second count alleged that Sowore published a similar post on his official Facebook page on the same date, with the prosecution maintaining that the statement posed a threat to public order and national stability.

When the charges were read to him, Sowore pleaded not guilty to both counts.

Efforts to commence trial immediately were, however, stalled following an objection by defence counsel, Abubakar Marshall.

He argued that the prosecution failed to attach the names and particulars of its witnesses to the proof of evidence, as required by law.