National
DSS Petitions Meta Over Sowore’s X, Facebook Posts
By ESEGHA MIRACLE, BAUCHI
Nigeria’s Department of State Services (DSS) has intensified its actions against activist Omoyele Sowore, accusing him of anti-government and inflammatory posts
Regarding a recent petition to X Corporation about a viral tweet, the DSS has reached out to Meta, Facebook’s parent company, requesting the immediate removal of Sowore’s page and posts they consider defamatory and hazardous.
According to the petition dated September 7, 2025, the DSS urged Meta Platforms, owners of Facebook, to promptly ban and deactivate Omoyele Sowore’s account.
The security agency said Sowore’s August 26th post, where he stated:
“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 DSS mentioned that this statement on Sowore’s Facebook page directly mocks President Bola Tinubu, has drawn criticism, and is escalating political tension both online and offline.
Signed by Uwem Davies on behalf of the DSS Director-General, the petition to Meta accused Sowore of disseminating misleading information, participating in online harassment and abuse, promoting hate speech, and disparaging the President on an international stage.
The agency referenced several Nigerian laws, including Section 51 of the Criminal Code Act, which prohibits false publication, and Sections 19, 22, and 24 of the Cybercrimes Act 2025, which ban fake news, offensive and indecent content, and statements likely to incite hatred, among others.
The DSS cautioned Meta that both the post’s author and the platform distributing it might face criminal liability under Nigerian law.
They have given the company 24 hours to remove the post and all its shares, and to deactivate Sowore’s account, or risk what they describe as “far-reaching, sweeping and across-the-board measures”.
The agency emphasized that non-compliance would compel the government to take action, stressing that Sowore’s comments pose a significant threat to national security and Nigeria’s global image.
