The Department of State Services (DSS) has issued a formal request to X Corp. (formerly Twitter), calling for the immediate removal of a tweet posted by Nigerian activist and politician, Omoyele Sowore. The agency claims the post disparages President Bola Tinubu and poses a threat to national security.
On August 25, Sowore, through his verified account @YeleSowore, shared a video of President Tinubu during a state visit to Brazil. In the accompanying caption, he criticized the President’s statement that corruption no longer exists in Nigeria, calling it a blatant falsehood.
Sowore wrote:
“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!”
In a letter dated September 6, signed by B. Bamigboye on behalf of the DSS Director-General, the agency described the tweet as false, harassing, and ideologically motivated. It accused Sowore of targeting the President via his official X handle, @officialABAT, and warned that the post could incite unrest, especially among Tinubu’s supporters.
The DSS warned X Corp. that the tweet’s continued circulation was already drawing protests and could heighten political tensions nationwide.
“The tweet has attracted widespread condemnation from many Nigerians, some of whom have taken to the streets in protest. This is creating political tension and threatening national security,” the letter read.
The agency further argued that the post harms Nigeria’s international reputation and misrepresents the President on a global stage.
Describing the content as a violation of X’s transparency policies, the DSS called it “dangerous, false, privacy-violating behaviour that manipulates public opinion and damages the image of both the President and the country.”
The DSS listed several Nigerian laws it claims Sowore’s tweet violates, including:
- Section 51 of the Criminal Code Act
- Sections 19, 22, and 24 of the Cybercrimes Act, 2025, which prohibit the spread of false information, online harassment, hate speech, and content aimed at inciting ethnic or religious tension.
- Section 2(3) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, which addresses the use of online platforms to promote ideologies capable of causing national harm.
“It is not in doubt that Mr. Sowore’s tweet constitutes misleading information, online abuse, hate speech, and a willful attempt to spread an ideology that threatens national unity,” the DSS wrote.
24-Hour Ultimatum and Warning
The agency demanded that X Corp. take down the tweet and all associated re-tweets within 24 hours, warning of potential government action if the platform fails to comply.
“Failure to act will compel the Federal Government to take far-reaching, sweeping, and across-the-board measures,” the DSS warned.
Historical Context
This development echoes a similar incident in June 2021, when the Nigerian government, under then-President Muhammadu Buhari, suspended Twitter’s operations after the platform deleted one of Buhari’s tweets. Authorities accused Twitter of threatening Nigeria’s unity. The suspension lasted until January 13, 2022.
Meanwhile, Sowore has publicly stated that he will not delete the tweet, insisting on his right to free speech.
