By Instablog9ja
In what promises to be a high-profile courtroom showdown, the Department of State Services (DSS) is set to arraign fiery activist and Sahara Reporters publisher, Omoyele Sowore, alongside social media giants X Inc. (formerly Twitter) and Meta Platforms Inc. (owners of Facebook), before the Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday.
The explosive case follows Sowore’s controversial post in which he allegedly described President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as a “cr+minal” — a statement that quickly gained traction across digital platforms. Authorities argue that the publication not only defamed the President but also threatened national stability by amplifying misinformation through global tech companies.
According to court insiders, the DSS is charging Sowore under sections bordering on cyberstalking, defamation, and the spread of false information, while X and Meta are accused of enabling the dissemination of the content to millions of users without adequate moderation.
Legal observers say this will be a landmark case testing the limits of free speech, digital accountability, and government control over online platforms in Nigeria. Already, rights groups and activists have described the move as “a direct assault on democracy,” while supporters of the administration insist that “no one, regardless of status, is above the law.”
If the arraignment proceeds as scheduled, Nigeria will witness for the first time in its judicial history a sitting President’s critics standing trial alongside two of the world’s largest tech companies — an unprecedented collision of politics, technology, and free expression.
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