Sowore Again In Court For Cybercrime Arraignment, Case Adjourned

The Federal High Court in Abuja has scheduled October 27, 2025, for the arraignment of human rights activist and SaharaReporters publisher, Omoyele Sowore, on a five-count charge related to alleged cybercrime.

Justice Mohammed Umar adjourned the proceedings on Tuesday after the planned arraignment could not proceed due to Sowore not being formally served with the charge sheet.

During the hearing, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) from the Federal Ministry of Justice stated that the prosecution was ready to arraign Sowore alongside Corporation and Meta (Facebook) Inc., named as the first to third respondents. However, Sowore’s lawyer, Marshal Abubakar, objected, noting that his client had not received the charges. Counsel for Meta also confirmed they had only just been served, while X Corporation was absent from court.

The prosecution alleges that Sowore, a former presidential candidate, posted an “offensive” message on his official (formerly Twitter) account on August 25, 2025, in violation of Section 24(2)(b) of the Cybercrimes Prohibition and Prevention Act, 2024. The five-count charge was filed by the Department of State Services (DSS) through the DPP.

This case follows an earlier confrontation between Sowore and the DSS. On September 8, the DSS issued a one-week ultimatum demanding he delete what they described as “false, malicious, and inciting” posts about President Bola Tinubu. Sowore refused, and the ultimatum expired on September 15, prompting the DSS to pursue legal action.

In response, Sowore filed two separate fundamental rights suits at the Federal High Court in Abuja against the DSS, Meta, and Corporation, challenging what his legal team, led by Tope Temokun, called “unconstitutional censorship” of his social media accounts. Temokun argued that the cases are about protecting free speech in Nigeria, warning that if state agencies can dictate who may speak online, no Nigerian voice is safe.

The matter has reignited national debates on free speech and state control of digital platforms, with rights groups highlighting that the outcome could have major implications for online expression. All attention is now on October 27, when Sowore is expected to enter his plea before Justice Umar.