…As DSS cites national security concerns
Amnesty International has criticised the Department of State Services (DSS) for demanding that social media platform X (formerly Twitter) take down a post by human rights activist Omoyele Sowore that was critical of President Bola Tinubu.
The organisation described the demand as an attempt to suppress dissent and foster a climate of fear.
In a statement, Amnesty said X had notified Sowore of the DSS’s request to deactivate his account, calling the move “outrageous” and a “brazen act of censorship and abuse of power.”
The group argued that the DSS was acting without legal basis, insisting that the attempt to target Sowore’s account violated Nigeria’s Constitution, the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
Amnesty urged Nigerian authorities to desist from violating digital rights, including freedom of expression and privacy. It also called on X to resist censorship demands and safeguard the rights of its users.
A letter from the DSS, obtained by the media, accused Sowore of circulating “misleading information, hate speech and content capable of inciting violence” in a post dated 25 August. The agency cited the Cybercrimes Act 2025 and other Nigerian laws as justification for its request.
The DSS also warned that failure by X to comply could prompt “far-reaching, sweeping and across-the-board measures” from the federal government.
In its response to Sowore, X confirmed receipt of the legal request but stated it had “not taken any action on the reported content at this time.” The platform added that it routinely informs users when governments seek to remove their content.
Sowore, however, insisted the action was part of a broader campaign to stifle free speech and dissenting voices.
