Sowore’s ‘Criminal’ Label Trial Against Tinubu Stalls as Court Adjourns Amidst Missing Evidence and Live-Streaming Drama

The high-stakes legal battle between activist Omoyele Sowore and the Presidency hit a brick wall on Thursday, March 5, 2026. The Federal High Court in Abuja was forced to halt proceedings in the ongoing cyberstalking trial against the Sahara Reporters publisher after the presiding judge, Justice Mohammed Umar, failed to appear, reportedly due to a last-minute official engagement.

Sowore, who stands accused of defaming President Bola Tinubu by calling him a “criminal” on social media, arrived at the court alongside his legal team, only to be met with a silent bench. The “State of Harmony” usually expected in the courtroom has been non-existent in recent weeks; the defense is currently reeling from a February ruling where the judge rejected several “bombshell” documents intended to highlight corruption within the very agencies the DSS and EFCC prosecuting the case.

The trial has become a digital-age drama. Prosecutors have expressed outrage over reports that previous sessions were live-streamed to thousands of viewers online, leading Justice Umar to threaten a full-scale investigation into the “contemptuous” broadcast. Meanwhile, Sowore’s lawyer, Marshall Abubakar, has been using cross-examinations to question why the DSS is pursuing a “defamation” case without a formal complaint from the President himself, especially after Tinubu publicly vowed to tolerate criticism.

With the judge’s absence pushing the “Judgment Day” further into the future, the tension in Abuja remains thick. As the DSS maintains that Sowore’s posts are a threat to national stability, the activist’s supporters see the trial as a test of free speech in the “Renewed Hope” era. The court is expected to announce a new date shortly, where the defense will make a final attempt to grill the secret police operatives who claim Sowore’s tweets “made their work complicated.”