DSS drags Sowore, Meta, X to court over Anti-Tinubu post

The Department of State Services (DSS) has filed a five-count charge against former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, alongside social media giants X Corp and Meta Inc, over posts critical of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The case, lodged at the Federal High Court in Abuja, was filed by the Director of Public Prosecutions at the Federal Ministry of Justice, M.B. Abubakar, with four DSS counsel — M.E. Ernest, U.B. Bulla, Dr. C.S. Eze and E.G. Orubor.

Nigerian NewsDirect reports that the DSS had written to X demanding Sowore’s account be deactivated and ordering him to take down posts the agency described as defamatory.

The secret police claimed Sowore’s description of Tinubu as a “criminal” amounted to novel offences spread across five counts.

Reacting, Sowore confirmed the charges in a statement on his handle, vowing to honour the trial.

“The State Security Service today filed a 5-count charge at the Federal High Court in Abuja against @X, @facebook, and myself. They claimed that because I called @officialABAT a criminal, I have somehow committed a set of ‘novel’ offences they invented and spread across five counts,” he wrote.

He added: “It’s hard to believe there’s anyone sensible left in these offices that should be making Nigeria work. Regardless, I will be present whenever this case is assigned for trial. #RevolutionNow.”