The issue between muckraking newspaper publisher and activist, Omoyele Sowore, and the Department of State Services (DSS) may land both parties in court in Nigeria.
Recall that Sowore, the 2023 presidential candidate of African Action Congress (AAC), took strong exception to a statement made by President Bola Tinubu during his visit to Brazil where the president said corruption in Nigeria had ended under his regime.
Apparently believing the statement to be false, Sowore reacted by posting a statement on social media platform X in which he made his feelings known in a tweet.
The tweet read: “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!”
In a swift response, the DSS fired a letter to Elon Musk, Chairman of US-based X.com, requesting him to deactivate,within 24 hours, the allegedly offensive tweet as it, among others, was misleading and a wilful intention to advance an ideology capable of serious harm, incitement to violence, a cyber crime, hate speech, to discredit and disparage president Tinubu.
DSS also informed the firm that it could be joined in any criminal suit arising from the tweet as it (X.com) is the platform through which the alleged crime was committed.
Sowore tweeted another post where he vowed not to delete the tweet even as X officially notified him of the DSS letter.
Heading into the fray, the activist’s lawyer, Tope Tomekun, communicated X warning it not to take any action on the DSS letter, except it wants to be viewed as a tool of state repression of constitutional free speech and personal liberties.
Now, the DSS has handed Sowore a seven-day ultimatum to delete the tweet or the agency will be compelled to take lawful means to seek redress.
In a letter dated September 7, the DSS again alleged that Sowore made criminal and derogatory remarks against the President in a post on X on August 26.
It warned that failure to take down the post will force it to explore all lawful means to protect national security and public order.
Responding through its Director of Legal Services, Uwem Davies, the DSS said Sowore’s remarks on Tinubu have sparked anger among citizens and could “incite public disturbance, disunity, and even insurrection.”
PHOTO CAPTION: Sowore (left).
