DSS Orders X to Deactivate Sowore’s Account over Anti-Tinubu Post
- The Department of State Services has asked X to deactivate Omoyele Sowore’s account after he posted a message ridiculing President Bola Tinubu
- In a petition signed on behalf of the DG, the DSS gave a 24-hour deadline and warned of sweeping action if the request is ignored
- Sowore, a former presidential candidate, had not responded to the agency’s move at the time of filing this report
The Department of State Services (DSS) has demanded the deactivation of Omoyele Sowore’s account on X, formerly known as Twitter, following a controversial post he made about President Bola Tinubu.
In a petition addressed to the social media company, the DSS gave a 24-hour deadline for compliance.
Source: Getty Images
DSS warns X over Sowore's online activities
The letter, signed by B. Bamigboye on behalf of the director-general of the agency, warned that the federal government would take “far-reaching, sweeping and across-the-board measures” if the request was ignored.
The move follows a post by Sowore on August 25, 2025, which the agency described as disparaging and capable of inciting unrest.
The message, shared on his verified handle @YeleSowore, accused the President of making false claims during a public engagement in Brazil.
According to the DSS, the post ridiculed the head of state and could trigger protests among his supporters.
Source: Facebook
The petition stated:
“We detected and monitored with dismay and consternation a widely condemned publication/trending Tweet by Omoyele Sowore on his X official handle page @YeleSowore on 25th August, 2025 about 11:38 PM local time (2338 hours) WAT disparaging and ridiculing the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
DSS claims Sowore's post violate laws
The agency insisted that the post violated several provisions of Nigerian law, including the Criminal Code Act and the Cyber Crimes Act of 2025.
It further cited the Terrorism Prevention and Prohibition Act, arguing that the publication could amount to domestic terrorism. The DSS said both Sowore and the platform could be held liable if the content remained accessible.
“The author and purveyor of the inflammatory online publication against Mr. President is very much aware that the publication is also prohibited by Section 2(3) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and other relevant laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” the petition read.
The secret police maintained that the post was not only insulting to the President but damaging to Nigeria’s image internationally.
It described the tweet as misleading information, online harassment, and hate speech with the potential to create disunity.
Sowore responded that he would not take the post down in a the activist's usual defiance style to established authorities.
Sowore, publisher of Sahara Reporters and a former presidential candidate, has built a reputation for openly criticising successive governments.
DSS arraigns 9 prime suspects
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the Department of State Services (DSS) had arraigned nine individuals alleged to be prime suspects in the recent killings that rocked Benue and Plateau states.
The suspects were brought before the court following weeks of investigations into the violent attacks that left several communities devastated.
Proofreading by Kola Muhammed, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
