SSS Warns Facebook Over Sowore’s Criticism of Tinubu, Threatens Criminal Liability -

SSS Warns Facebook Over Sowore’s Criticism of Tinubu, Threatens Criminal Liability

Nigeria’s State Security Services (SSS) has written to Meta, the parent company of Facebook, warning that the platform could face criminal liability if it fails to take down a post by activist and publisher Omoyele Sowore that criticised President Bola Tinubu.

In a letter dated 7 September, the SSS accused Mr Sowore of spreading “misleading information” and “hate speech” capable of inciting violence and threatening national security. The agency cited the Criminal Code Act, the Cybercrimes Act 2025, and the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022 as legal grounds for action against both Sowore and Meta.

Sowore’s Post and SSS Demands

The SSS referred to a 26 August Facebook post in which Sowore described President Tinubu as a “criminal” and accused him of dishonesty about corruption in Nigeria. The agency said the comments disparaged the president, embarrassed the country internationally, and heightened political tension domestically.

The letter demanded Meta deactivate Sowore’s account within 24 hours, warning of “far-reaching consequences” if it failed to comply. PREMIUM TIMES also reported that a similar petition was sent to X (formerly Twitter).

Sowore’s Response

Mr Sowore, a former presidential aspirant, publisher of Sahara Reporters, and convener of the #RevolutionNow movement, dismissed the SSS move as “lawless” and a sign of incompetence.

He accused the agency of prioritising image protection for Mr Tinubu over addressing insecurity, noting that more than 130 Nigerians were killed in a single day while the SSS focused on gagging free speech.

History of Clashes

Sowore has had long-standing confrontations with the SSS. In 2019, he was arrested and charged with treason and cyberstalking then-President Muhammadu Buhari after calling for protests. His re-arrest inside a courtroom despite a bail order sparked international outrage, with Amnesty International designating him a prisoner of conscience.

The SSS has often faced criticism of being used by successive governments as a political tool to suppress dissent.

Social Media and State Tensions

Nigeria’s relationship with social media platforms remains tense. In 2021, the government banned Twitter for seven months after it deleted a post by then-President Buhari. Rights groups have warned that the legal provisions the SSS referenced could be abused to silence opposition voices and stifle civic freedoms.