The Department of State Services (DSS) has formally petitioned X Corp., the parent company of social media platform X (formerly Twitter), demanding the immediate suspension of the account belonging to human rights activist Omoyele Sowore.
In a letter signed by B. Bamigboye on behalf of the Director-General of the DSS and addressed to X Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Elon Musk, the secret police alleged that Sowore’s verified account, @YeleSowore, had been used to publish content that constitutes “misleading information, hate speech, incitement to violence, and a threat to national security.”
The dispute centres on a tweet posted by Sowore on August 25, 2025, in which he accused President Bola Tinubu of making false claims during an official visit to Brazil, where the President stated that corruption had been eradicated under his administration.” The DSS argued that the tweet not only disparaged the President but also risked inciting unrest among his supporters.
The agency further maintained that Sowore’s statement violated several Nigerian laws, citing Section 51 of the Criminal Code Act, the Cybercrimes Act 2025, and provisions of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022. According to the DSS, the tweet amounted to “domestic terrorism” and “deliberate disinformation” designed to damage Nigeria’s international reputation.
“The said tweet is still in circulation and has attracted widespread condemnation by majority of Nigerians, some of whom may resort to unwholesome activities to vent their grievance over it,” the DSS warned in its letter. It added that protests had already been staged by Tinubu supporters, raising fears of escalating political tension.
The security agency insisted that Sowore’s conduct represented “online harassment and abuse, willful intention of furthering an ideology capable of serious harm, and a deliberate attempt to discredit the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria before the comity of nations.”
The DSS further demanded that X Corp. deactivate Sowore’s verified account or any other account operated by him, threatening legal consequences if the platform failed to comply.
