In a significant development in Abuja on Tuesday, the Federal High Court granted human-rights activist Omoyele Sowore bail on self-recognizance, following his latest appearance in a cybercrime and defamation case initiated by the Department of State Services (DSS).
The trial, which resumed in Court 5 of the Federal High Court complex, centers on a five-count charge filed on September 16, 2025, by the Director of Public Prosecutions, M. B. Abubakar. The prosecution lists Sowore, X Corp. (owners of X, formerly Twitter), and Meta Platforms Inc. as co-defendants.
According to the DSS, Sowore’s August 25 and 26 posts on X and Facebook—where he described President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as a “criminal”—constituted:
Cyberstalking,
Defamation, and
Publication of false information capable of inciting public disorder.
Prosecutors tendered several exhibits, including screenshots of Sowore’s posts and official correspondence sent to X and Meta requesting removal of the content. Both companies were asked to censor the posts; Meta remained silent, while X acknowledged the request but refused to delete the content, informing Sowore directly.
The former AAC presidential candidate has dismissed the charges as politically motivated, asserting that his commentary falls within his constitutional right to criticize public office holders. Responding publicly, Sowore insisted:
“You have no business telling me how to criticise the President.”
He maintained that deleting the posts was never an option, reiterating his stance on civic accountability.
At Tuesday’s sitting, the court granted Sowore bail on self-recognizance—a measure typically reserved for defendants deemed reliable and unlikely to flee. The court did not impose financial conditions but emphasized adherence to all future proceedings
