DSS asks X to take down tweet calling Tinubu ‘criminal’

The Department of State Services (DSS) has asked social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, to delete a post by activist and publisher Omoyele Sowore, describing it as a threat to national security and a breach of Nigerian law.

In a letter addressed to the Chairman and CEO of X Corp. on Saturday and shared online by DSS Director-General B. Bamigboye, the agency said Sowore’s post, made on August 25, 2025, from his verified handle @YeleSowore, disparaged President Bola Tinubu.

The post, directed at the official presidential account, read: “This criminal @officialABAT actually went to Brazil to state that there is NO MORE corruption under his regime in Nigeria. What audacity to lie shamelessly!”

The DSS insisted the tweet amounted to misinformation, harassment, and hate speech, claiming it stirred unrest among Tinubu’s supporters while also undermining Nigeria’s global reputation.

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Citing Section 51 of the Criminal Code Act, along with provisions of the Cyber Crimes Act 2025, the agency argued that Sowore’s remarks violate national laws against spreading false or offensive online content. It also referenced the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022, suggesting the post could be treated as domestic terrorism, exposing both the author and X Corp. to criminal liability.

X has been given 24 hours to remove the tweet and all retweets, with the DSS warning of “far-reaching, sweeping and across-the-board measures” if its directive is ignored.

The standoff reflects long-running friction between Nigerian authorities and online activists, particularly over the boundaries of free speech, accountability, and the role of social media companies in policing content.

Sowore, who has often criticised government policies through his verified accounts, continues to test the limits of political expression under Nigerian law.