By Correspondent in Abuja.
The Federal Government, on Tuesday, instituted legal action against politician and activist,Omoyele Sowore, for allegedly cyberbullying President Bola Tinubu.
In the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CR/484/2025, the government also joined Meta (Facebook) Inc. and X Inc. as co-defendants before the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The five-count criminal charge, dated Sept. 16, was filed by Mohammed Abubakar, Director of Public Prosecutions at the Federal Ministry of Justice.
Sowore, Publisher of Sahara Reporters and presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) in the 2019 and 2023 elections, is accused of making a false claim against the President by referring to him as “a criminal.”
The charge followed a recent request by the Department of State Services (DSS) for the removal of the alleged defamatory post on Facebook and X, formerly Twitter.
According to the charge, Sowore contravene provisions of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Amendment Act, 2024.
Count one alleges that on or about Aug. 25, Sowore used his official X handle, @YeleSowore, to post a message that read:
“THIS CRIMINAL @OFFICIALPBAT ACTUALLY WENT TO BRAZIL TO STATE THAT THERE IS NO MORE CORRUPTION UNDER HIS REGIME IN NIGERIA. WHAT AUDACITY TO LIE SHAMELESSLY!”
The prosecution contends that Sowore knew the statement to be false and that it was made “for the purpose of causing a breakdown of law and order in the country
This it said is so especially among individuals who hold divergent views on the personality of the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu (GCFR).”
The alleged offence is said to be contrary to Section 24 (1)(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Amendment Act, 2024, among other counts.
Edited by Dada Ahmed.
