A major confrontation has emerged between the Department of State Services (DSS) and rights activist Omoyele Sowore following a critical post he made on presidency and corruption.
What Happened:
On August 25, 2025, Sowore tweeted: “This criminal @officialABAT actually went to Brazil to state that there is NO MORE corruption under his regime in Nigeria. What audacity to lie shamelessly!” The post targeted President Bola Tinubu’s statement that corruption had ended under his government. On September 6, the DSS officially wrote to X Corp., demanding Sowore’s tweet deletion and his account deactivation within 24 hours. The letter, signed for the DSS Director-General by B. Bamigboye, described the tweet as false, harassing, hate speech, and a national security threat. It cited violations under the Criminal Code Act, Cybercrimes Act 2025, and the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, warning of sweeping government action if X failed to comply. X responded by notifying Sowore of the request, following its global transparency policy. The platform didn’t take down the tweet and advised Sowore to seek legal counsel. Sowore responded with defiance: “One option I will NOT be taking is deleting that Tweet. Thank you, @X.”
Reactions & Ramifications:
Amnesty International condemned the DSS’s move as “digital repression” and demanded its withdrawal, citing Nigeria’s international human rights obligations. Sowore’s legal team, led by Tope Temokun, called the directive “unlawful, unconstitutional, and without legal foundation.” They argued only courts—not security agencies—can mandate content removal.
What’s Next:
With the 24-hour ultimatum lapsing, it’s unclear whether the DSS will escalate by enforcing sanctions against X or Sowore. The standoff spotlights tensions between state authority and digital rights activism in Nigeria.
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