The Department of State Services (DSS) has given activist and Sahara Reporters publisher Omoyele Sowore a one-week ultimatum to retract a social media post deemed “false, malicious, and inciting” against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
In a letter dated September 7, 2025, the DSS accused Sowore of making “criminal and derogatory” statements in a post on X (formerly Twitter) on August 26, 2025.
Sowore had labeled President Tinubu a “criminal” and accused him of dishonesty following the President’s claim in Brazil that corruption no longer existed under his administration.
The DSS warned that failure to comply would compel the agency to “explore all lawful means” to maintain national security and public order.
Uwem Davies, DSS Director of Legal Services, said Sowore’s words could incite public unrest, disunity, and insurrection. The letter described the statements as “odious, repugnant, derogatory, and uncomplimentary” toward the nation’s highest office.
Sowore was instructed to immediately retract the post on X with equal prominence and publish a public apology in at least two national newspapers and two television stations. He was also ordered to submit a formal response to the DSS headquarters in Abuja within one week.
The DSS copied the U.S. Embassy in Abuja, indicating international interest due to Sowore’s dual Nigerian-American residency.
The agency reminded Sowore that as a prominent democratic actor, he must exercise responsibility and restraint in speech and actions, promoting peace and good governance.
The DSS emphasized its role in preventing the spread of false propaganda and warned that non-compliance would lead to legal action without further notice.
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