By Kingston Magare 16.9.2025
President Bola Tinubu has filed a criminal suit against African Action Congress leader Omoyele Sowore over his comment on social media addressing Tinubu ” this criminal.”
The suit was filed Tuesday by the by director of public prosecutions, Federal Ministry of Justice Mohammed Abubakar at the Federal High Court in Abuja. In the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/484/2025 the FG accused Mr. Sowore of cyberbullying. Facebook and X social media platforms are also joined in the filling.
In the five-count charge, Sowore, who is also the publisher of Sahara Reporters, was alleged to have made a false claim against the person of the President by referring to him as “a criminal.”
The Department of State Services (DSS) last week pressured Sowore to pull down the post on Facebook and X, but he did not respond to the request. Facebook and X have not responded to them been joined in the FG filling.
Sowore, who was the AAC presidential candidate in 2019 and 2023, in the charge is accused of contravening the provisions of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Amendment Act, 2024.
Count one of the charges alleged that Sowore, on or about August 25, did use his official X handle page, @Yele Sowore, to send out a message/tweet.
The message is said to be, “THIS CRIMINAL @ OFFICIAL PBAT ACTUALLY WENT TO BRAZIL TO STATE THAT THERE IS NO MORE CORRUPTION UNDER HIS REGIME IN NIGERIA. WHAT AUDACITY TO LIE SHAMELESSLY!,”
The message, which he knew to be false, was posted “for the purpose of causing a breakdown of law and order in the country, 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 offence is said to be contrary to Section 24 (1) (b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Amendment Act, 2024, among other counts.
Reacting to the charges, Sowore wrote on X that he would be in court to answer them
“The State Security Service, alias @OfficialDSSNG today filed a 5-count charge at the Federal High Court in Abuja against ‘@X’ (formerly @Twitter), @facebook, and myself.
“They claimed that because I called @officialABAT a criminal, I have somehow committed a set of “novel” offences they invented and spread across five counts.
“It’s hard to believe there’s anyone sensible left in these offices that should be making Nigeria work. Regardless, I will be present whenever this case is assigned for trial. #RevolutionNow.”
Sowore and Tinubu...