Sowore Slams DSS Over ‘Desperate’ Cyberstalking Charges For Calling Tinubu A Criminal

Human rights activist and former presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore has blasted the Department of State Services (DSS) for dragging him, alongside social media giants Meta and X (formerly Twitter), before the Federal High Court in Abuja on cyberstalking charges.

The DSS, in a five-count charge filed on September 16, 2025, by M.B. Abubakar, Director of Public Prosecutions at the Federal Ministry of Justice, accused Sowore of cyberstalking, defamation, and publishing false information against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu after he described the President as a “criminal” in posts on X and Facebook.

Sowore, who appeared in court on Tuesday despite claiming he was never properly served, dismissed the case as a “waste of state resources” and a desperate attempt to silence critics. He said the DSS only tendered a screenshot as evidence, calling it a sign of desperation.

“They wanted to ambush me in court today, but I came here myself. Even when cases don’t concern me, I show up,” he told journalists, accusing the DSS of deliberately avoiding service because they feared he would present a solid defence.

He condemned the charges as a crude attempt to criminalise free speech, arguing that the DSS was acting as if its job was to police Nigerians’ voices rather than protect the president.

“The Secret Service in America protects the president. It does not police free speech. Trump was insulted thousands of times, yet nobody was dragged to court for it. But the DSS thinks it decides who can speak and who cannot. That is madness,” he said.

The former African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate vowed to resist what he described as creeping dictatorship, stressing that Nigerians must confront leaders who “rigged themselves into office under a constitution I don’t even believe in.”

Sowore also alleged that the DSS compelled the Director of Public Prosecutions to appear in court “to save face” after its lawyers had failed to challenge him since 2019.

“This is not about me. It is about 200 million Nigerians who deserve good governance, transparency, accountability, and the basic standards of democracy. Freedom of speech is non-negotiable,” he declared.​

Titilope Adako

Titilope Adako is a talented and intrepid journalist, dedicated to shedding light on the untold stories of Osun State and Nigeria. Through incisive reporting, she tackles a broad spectrum of topics, from politics and social justice to culture and entertainment, with a commitment to accuracy, empathy, and inspiring positive change.

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