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By Correspondent in Abuja.
The Department of State Services (DSS) on Tuesday explained before the Federal High Court in Abuja why it charged Omoyele Sowore, publisher of Sahara Reporters, over an alleged defamatory post against President Bola Tinubu.
Cyril Nosike, the first prosecution witness (PW-1) and a DSS operative, told Justice Mohammed Umar that Sowore was prosecuted due to the security implications of a social media post in which he allegedly referred to the President as a “criminal.”
Nosike made the disclosure while being cross-examined by Sowore’s counsel, Marshall Abubakar.
The DSS filed the charge following a post made by Sowore on his X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook accounts.
During proceedings, Abubakar played a video in court in which President Tinubu was seen promising to protect the rights of all Nigerians, including those who abuse him or call him names.
The defence counsel then asked the witness why the DSS proceeded with the charge despite the President’s public assurance.
In response, Nosike said the DSS acted solely because of the security implications of the post made by Sowore.
The witness stated that the video of the President, which was shared by Sowore on social media, was recorded during a state visit to Brazil.
He, however, admitted that he was not in Brazil with the President and did not personally record the video.
Nosike said he downloaded the video after it was posted by the defendant but did not know when it was recorded or uploaded, adding that he did not know who recorded the video or the exact location in Brazil where it was made.
He further told the court that he neither interviewed the President regarding the video nor took any statement from him to confirm his appearance in it.
According to him, he also did not obtain any statement from the President on the impact of the post and was unaware whether the President had seen or was even aware of Sowore’s post.
The DSS operative confirmed that there was no defamation complaint from President Tinubu before the court, even though he described the President as the alleged victim of the post.
Nosike also said he was not aware that the DSS had previously prosecuted Sowore in 2019 over calls for a revolution, nor that details of the trial were available on the DSS website, adding that he was equally unaware that Sowore’s phones had been in DSS custody since 2019.
The witness also the court that he did not know about any court judgment directing the DSS to release the phones to the defendant.
At that point, Abubakar tendered a certified true copy (CTC) of an order issued on February 19, 2024, by Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja, which allegedly directed the DSS to release Sowore’s phones and Justice Umar admitted the document in evidence.
The defence counsel also tendered a flash drive containing video clips, including one showing President Tinubu, dressed in Igbo traditional attire, pledging to protect citizens’ rights, and another featuring Ambassador-designate Reno Omokri among others.
The videos were played in open court at the request of the defence counsel.
Nosike said he did not know whether the DSS conducts background checks or security screening on government appointees such as judges, ministers, and ambassadors.
He also said he could not explain why Omokri, who allegedly made in complimentary remarks about the President, was cleared for ambassadorial appointment.
Justice Umar adjourned the case until February 4 for continuation of trial.
Edited by Dada Ahmed.
