Federal High Court Sets October 27 for Arraignment of Sowore, X Corp, and Meta over Alleged Cyber-Bullying of President Tinubu

The legal battle between the Federal Government and activist-publisher Omoyele Sowore is set to commence as the Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed October 27 for the arraignment of Sowore, alongside social media giants X Corp (formerly Twitter) and Meta Platforms Inc. (Facebook).

The Department of State Services (DSS), which initiated the proceedings, filed a five-count criminal charge accusing the defendants of cybercrime and defamation directed at President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

According to the charge sheet, Sowore, the publisher of SaharaReporters, is alleged to have used his official social media accounts to publish a message on or about August 25 and 26, 2025, that referred to the President as a “criminal” and accused him of “lying shamelessly” regarding claims of eliminating corruption in Nigeria during a visit to Brazil.

The prosecution contends that the posts were made with the knowledge that they were false and for the purpose of “causing a breakdown of law and order” and “disaffection” among the populace, an offence contrary to Section 24(1)(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Amendment Act, 2024. Further counts cite violations of the Criminal Code Act for defamation and spreading false information capable of causing public fear.

X Corp and Meta were controversially joined as defendants after they allegedly failed to comply with a prior DSS request to have the contentious posts deleted and Sowore’s accounts deactivated following his refusal to retract the statement.

This case is expected to be a major test of Nigeria’s updated cybercrime laws, raising significant concerns about the balance between freedom of expression, digital rights, and the government’s attempts to curb dissent and alleged defamation against public officials. The formal plea of the defendants to the charges will be taken on the fixed date of October 27.