Publisher of SaharaReporters and rights activist Omoyele Sowore has dragged the Department of State Services (DSS), Meta, and X Corp. before the Federal High Court in Abuja over what he described as attempts to censor his social media accounts.
In the suit filed by his lawyer, Tope Temokun, Sowore asked the court to restrain the DSS from directing global platforms to take down his posts, including one where he referred to President Bola Tinubu as a “criminal.” He argued that such censorship violates Section 39 of the 1999 Constitution, which guarantees freedom of expression.
Temokun, in a statement on Tuesday, said the case is not only about Sowore but about the survival of free speech in Nigeria. “If state agencies can dictate to global platforms who may speak and what may be said, then no Nigerian is safe,” he warned.
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The suit also seeks declarations that Meta and X must not allow their platforms to be used as “tools of repression.”
The legal battle comes as the DSS filed fresh charges against Sowore at the same court, accusing him of defamation and publishing false information.
Court documents allege that his August posts labeling Tinubu a criminal were intended to incite unrest, contrary to the Cybercrimes Amendment Act, 2024. Five counts were filed, though no judge has yet been assigned.
Below are the DSS charges against Sowore:
Sowore, a former presidential candidate, has often clashed with security agencies over his criticisms of government. He insists his remarks are part of his duty to hold leaders accountable and vowed not to retract his comments despite official pressure.
