DSS Writes Elon Musk’s X to Suspend Omoyele Sowore’s Account Over Tinubu Criticism
The Department of State Services (DSS) has requested that social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, suspend the account of Nigerian activist and publisher Omoyele Sowore. In a strongly worded letter reportedly sent to the company’s headquarters in Texas, United States, the DSS accused Sowore of using his account to spread harmful statements against President Bola Tinubu and Nigeria’s global image.
According to the DSS, Sowore’s recent post amounted to a smear campaign against the president and could trigger unrest in the country. The agency said the message had already attracted widespread condemnation from Nigerians, including Tinubu’s supporters, some of whom had begun street protests. The DSS insisted that the post posed a direct threat to national security and violated the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act of 2022.
The letter, signed by DSS official B. Bamigboye on behalf of the Director-General Adeola Oluwatosin Ajayi, stated that both Sowore and X could be held “criminally liable” under Nigerian law for allowing such content to circulate. The agency stressed that the publication was prohibited under Section 2(3) of the Terrorism Act, warning that inflammatory online posts could incite unlawful actions and destabilize the country.
The DSS also claimed that Sowore’s actions had damaged Nigeria’s reputation before the international community. “The said tweet has attracted widespread condemnation by the majority of Nigerians, some of whom may resort to unlawful acts to show their anger, thereby creating political tension and threatening national security,” the statement read.
Omoyele Sowore, well-known as the founder of Sahara Reporters and leader of the RevolutionNow movement, is a journalist, human rights activist, and politician who previously contested Nigeria’s presidential election. Over the years, he has faced multiple arrests and detentions by the Nigerian government.
In August 2019, Sowore was arrested by the DSS and accused of treason for calling for nationwide protests. He spent over three months in detention before being released on December 5, only to be re-arrested less than 12 hours later inside a courtroom. The case was later taken over by then Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, who eventually ordered his release on December 24, 2019.
Sowore has remained a vocal critic of successive Nigerian governments, and his frequent clashes with security agencies have kept him in the spotlight. His supporters argue that he is being persecuted for speaking truth to power, while critics accuse him of using activism as a political tool.
The DSS move to involve Elon Musk’s X marks a significant escalation in the long-running conflict between the Nigerian activist and the government. It also raises questions about freedom of speech, digital rights, and the extent to which governments can pressure global tech companies to silence their critics.
