Human rights activist, journalist, and African Action Congress presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore has filed two fundamental rights actions at the Federal High Court, Abuja, against Nigeria’s Department of State Services (DSS), Meta Platforms (owners of Facebook), and X Corp (formerly Twitter), in what may become a defining legal battle over free speech in Nigeria.
The lawsuits, confirmed by Sowore’s lawyer Tope Temokun, challenge what they describe as the unconstitutional censorship of his client’s social media accounts. According to Temokun, the actions were necessary after Sowore’s posts were reportedly taken down following a request by the DSS.
Background: From Criminal Charges to Counter Lawsuit
This legal move comes just days after the Federal Government filed a five-count criminal charge against Sowore, accusing him of cyberbullying President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The charges, filed by the Director of Public Prosecutions at the Federal Ministry of Justice, allege that Sowore published false and defamatory statements against the President—claims prosecutors say were capable of provoking public disorder. The case, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/484/2025, lists Meta and X as co-defendants and invokes Section 24 (1)(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Amendment Act, 2024.
The government’s stance is that Sowore’s online statements violated Nigeria’s cybercrime laws, criminalizing the spread of false claims capable of inciting unrest or damaging reputations.
See also: DSS files charges against Sowore
But Sowore’s legal team insists that the government’s actions—and the platforms’ compliance—represent an unlawful attempt to silence political dissent.
A Fight for the Future of Free Speech
“This lawsuit is not merely about my client’s personal rights,” said Temokun. “It is about the survival of free speech in Nigeria. If state agencies can dictate to global platforms who may speak and what may be said, then no Nigerian is safe; their voices can be silenced at the whim of those in power.”
The suits seek several key declarations from the court, including:
- That the DSS lacks legal authority to censor Nigerians online.
- That Meta and X must not act as tools of government repression.
- That Sowore’s rights—and by extension, those of other Nigerians—be fully protected.
Sowore’s team further warned that political censorship is “alien to democracy” and violates Section 39 of Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution, which guarantees every citizen’s right to freedom of expression.
Holding Tech Platforms Accountable
The lawsuits do not just target government overreach but also challenge the role of global tech companies in enabling censorship.
“Meta and X must understand that when they bow to unlawful censorship demands, they become complicit in suppressing liberty,” Temokun argued. “They cannot hide behind claims of neutrality while authoritarianism is exported onto their platforms.”
The case could have far-reaching implications for how social media platforms operate in Nigeria, potentially forcing them to weigh government requests against constitutional rights in a way that has not been tested in court before.
A Broader Call for Civic Resistance
Sowore’s lawyer also used the opportunity to call on civil society groups, journalists, and citizens to push back against attempts to restrict online speech.
“The struggle is not about personalities but about principle,” Temokun said. “We must resist every attempt to turn Nigeria into a digital dictatorship.”
With the lawsuits filed and hearings expected to begin soon, all eyes will be on the Federal High Court to see how it interprets the balance between national security, public order, and freedom of expression in a democratic society.
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