Today, at the Federal High Court in Abuja, proceedings commenced in the historic cases filed by rights activist Omoyele Sowore challenging the clampdown on free speech and political expression by the Department of State Services (SSS) in collusion with global social media giants Meta (Facebook/Instagram) and X Corp (Twitter).
The suits are:
Omoyele Sowore v. SSS & Meta (FHC/ABJ/CS/1887/2025)
Omoyele Sowore v. SSS & X Corp (FHC/ABJ/CS/1888/2025).
Sowore was represented by a formidable team of lawyers:led by Tope Temokun, Abubakar Marshall, Alexander Oketa, Dr. S.M. Oyeghe, Dr. Maxwell Opara, Akin Sowore, and Akoje Savour.
Representation for the Respondents:
Meta appeared through Mofesomo Tayo-Oyetibo SAN.
X Corp and the DSS had no counsel present in court.
Proceedings:
The Court granted Motions Ex Parte filed by Sowore’s counsel for leave to serve Meta and X Corp outside jurisdiction through electronic means.
The Originating Motion against Meta was also served in court on Meta’s counsel.
Adjournment:
The Court adjourned both matters to November 20, 2025, for hearing.
According to Media24flashnews Team Abuja. These suits was filed following the DSS attempted censorship of Sowore’s social media post calling the president a criminal mark a significant stand against both local repression and international collaboration in silencing dissenting voices. Sowore insists that no government agency or foreign corporation has the right to muzzle Nigerians in the digital space.
According to one of Swore supporters who was interviewed after the Court adjourned both matters to November 20, 2025, for hearing. He said; What we are witnessing in these cases is not just Sowore standing against the DSS, Meta, and X Corp — it is a Nigerian citizen standing against a global conspiracy to silence free speech.
Think about it: a sovereign state, through its secret police, colludes with international tech giants to censor the voice of one man, not because he lied, but because he dared to call out corruption and hypocrisy at the highest level. This is bigger than Sowore. This is about whether Nigerians will be allowed to speak truth to power in the digital age without fear of censorship, intimidation, or death.
The Nigerian Constitution is unambiguous: Section 39(1) guarantees every citizen the right to freedom of expression, “including freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart ideas and information without interference.” When the DSS pressures Meta and X to pull down posts critical of government, they are not only breaking Nigerian law — they are collaborating with foreign corporations to undermine Nigeria’s democracy.
This is why these suits are historic. For the first time, we are seeing the challenge of domestic tyranny colluding with global corporate power. If the DSS succeeds today, tomorrow every Nigerian voice online can be shut down with a single phone call from Abuja to Silicon Valley.
And let’s not ignore the irony: Meta was present in court through counsel, but X Corp and the DSS — the very bodies accused of silencing Nigerians — could not even show up to defend themselves. That absence speaks volumes. It tells us they are not confident in the legality of their actions.
The adjournment to November 20, 2025, is not just another date on the court’s calendar; it is a date with destiny. On that day, the question will not be about Sowore alone, but about the rights of over 200 million Nigerians who rely on social media to speak where traditional media has been gagged.
As Martin Luther King Jr. once said: “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” If we allow this injustice to pass, it will not stop with Sowore. Tomorrow it could be any journalist, activist, student, or even ordinary Nigerian who posts the truth.
✊🏾 Sowore’s fight is our fight. This case is the frontline in defending Nigeria’s democracy from both internal repression and external censorship. Nigerians must not look away.
The Second Person said; This comment is to affirm that Sowore has a civic right to critique leadership – especially when grounded in public interest and documented concerns.
Media Statement: Civic Critique Is Not Cybercrime
Nigerians affirm that civic critique
- especially of public office holders, is not a cybercrime. It is a constitutional right. In a democracy, the people are not subjects of silence. They are stewards of accountability.
Recent attempts to criminalize dissent, particularly statements questioning the credibility of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, must be addressed with clarity. Calling a public figure a “criminal”, when based on documented allegations, historical records, or unresolved controversies, is not defamation. It is civic inquiry.
Under Nigeria’s Cybercrimes Act of 2015, malicious falsehoods and cyberstalking are punishable. But political critique, journalistic investigation, and prophetic speech are protected; especially when they serve public interest and are grounded in verifiable facts.
Nigerians therefore declare:
• That referencing past allegations against President Tinubu; including asset forfeiture, academic inconsistencies, and electoral irregularities; is not cybercrime.
• That calling for transparency, justice, and ethical leadership is not hate speech.
• That protesters’ voices, educators, and advocates must not be silenced by fear or manipulated by power.
This is not about one man. It is about the soul of a nation.
Nigeria must not become a place where truth is punished and silence is rewarded.
Nigerians speak not to defame, but to defend democracy.
They challenge not to destroy, but to restore dignity.
They critique not to incite, but to awaken conscience.
THE HEARTBEAT OF A NATION
Steve Biko declared that “youths are the heartbeat of the nation.”
Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe affirmed it when he said, “Give me a generation of young men and women, and I will transform Nigeria.”
These are not just words—they are a call to action. History has shown that whenever youths rise with courage and vision, nations are reborn:
✨ Thomas Sankara changed Burkina Faso at 33.
✨ Malala Yousafzai became a global voice for education at just 17.
✨ Nigeria’s #EndSARS generation showed the world the unstoppable power of young voices united for justice.
The truth is simple: youths are not the leaders of tomorrow—they are the architects of today.
If we redirect our energy from destruction to construction, from division to unity, from silence to courage, nothing can stop us.
👉 Our elders have run their race. Now, the baton is in our hands. The heartbeat is strong, the future is waiting—
and the time to rise is NOW.
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