The Federal Government is preparing to arraign human rights activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, on a five-count charge over an alleged false social media post about President Bola Tinubu.
Also named in the charges are X (formerly Twitter) and Meta (Facebook), which are listed as co-defendants in the case.
Sowore is accused of using his official X handle to publish a post stating:
“This criminal @officialPBAT actually went to Brazil to state that there is no more corruption under his regime in Nigeria. What audacity to lie shamelessly!”
The Federal Government claims the post was made on August 25 and falls within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court.
Authorities allege that the post violates Section 24(2)(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition and Prevention) Act, 2024, arguing that it was intended to incite public disorder and mislead the public.
The case underscores the growing tension between freedom of expression and digital regulations in Nigeria, especially as social media continues to be a powerful tool for political commentary and activism.
