Omoyele Sowore’s tweet targeting President Tinubu prompts DSS to demand its removal from X, citing hate speech, misinformation, and national security risks.
The Department of State Services (DSS) has taken a decisive step against activist and publisher Omoyele Sowore, formally demanding that X Corp., the parent company of the social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter), immediately deactivate and remove his verified account.
The action comes in response to a social media post by Sowore, which the agency described as “misleading, offensive, and capable of threatening Nigeria’s national security.”
In an official letter dated September 6, 2025, and addressed to the Chairman and CEO of X Corp. in Texas, United States, the DSS alleged that Sowore, through his handle @YeleSowore, published a tweet on the night of August 25, 2025, at 11:38 p.m., which directly disparaged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
According to the intelligence agency, the content of the post was aimed squarely at the President, targeting him personally through his official handle, @officialABAT.
The controversial post stated:
“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 its letter, the DSS argued that Sowore’s tweet not only criticized the President but also crossed into the realms of “misleading information, online harassment, hate speech, and incitement,” which the agency warned could lead to public unrest.
The DSS further claimed that the post had “attracted widespread condemnation,” with reports suggesting that some supporters of the President staged protests in several areas, thereby heightening political tension and raising concerns over public order.
The agency cited several legal provisions to justify its demand, including Section 51 of the Criminal Code Act, Sections 19, 22, and 24 of the Cyber Crimes Act 2025, and specific clauses of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022.
The DSS emphasized that, under Nigerian law, both the author of the tweet and the social media platform hosting it could face criminal liability if the content was not immediately removed.
Signed by B. Bamigboye on behalf of the Director-General of the DSS, the letter stated in part: “It is against the above highlighted backdrop that we make an immediate and urgent demand on your corporation to, as a matter of policy, immediately take down the tweet and its attendant re-tweets.
“Should you fail, neglect or refuse to comply within 24 hours, the Federal Government will be compelled to take far-reaching and sweeping measures through our organisation.”
The DSS described the remarks by Sowore as a deliberate attempt to “discredit the President before the comity of nations, damage Nigeria’s image internationally, and pose a serious threat to national security.”
By framing the issue in these terms, the agency underscored the perceived gravity of the situation, presenting it as not merely a domestic political controversy but a matter of national security and international reputation.
This development adds to an ongoing discourse in Nigeria regarding the responsibilities of social media platforms in regulating content that may have national security implications.
While the country grapples with balancing freedom of expression against public safety, the DSS’s demand highlights the increasingly assertive role of state agencies in monitoring and controlling digital communications that they deem potentially harmful.