The Federal government has formally requested the immediate removal of a post by activist and publisher Omoyele Sowore on the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, citing national security risks and alleged violations of federal law.
In a letter addressed to the Chairman and CEO of X Corp. By the Department of State Services (DSS) on Saturday, which was shared on the microblogging platform by the DSS’ Director-General of State Services, B. Bamigboye, the DSS said that Sowore’s post, published on August 25, 2025 at 23:38 WAT via his verified X handle @YeleSowore, disparaged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The post, which 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!” was directed at the official presidential account.
The letter alleges that the tweet constitutes misleading information, online harassment, and hate speech, warning that it has provoked public unrest among supporters of the President.
It further claims that the post threatens Nigeria’s national security and damages the country’s image internationally.
According to the notice, Sowore’s tweet violates several provisions of Nigerian law, including Section 51 of the Criminal Code Act Cap.77, which prohibits the publication of false information, and Sections 19, 22, and 24 of the Cyber Crimes Act 2025, which criminalise the dissemination of misleading or offensive online content.
The letter also cites the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022, suggesting that the post amounts to domestic terrorism and could make both the author and the platform criminally liable.
The government has given X Corp. A 24-hour deadline to remove the post and its retweets, indicating that failure to comply may prompt “far-reaching, sweeping and across-the-board measures” by the Nigerian authorities.
The notice describes the demand as urgent, emphasising the perceived threat to public order and national security.
The development highlights ongoing tensions between the Federal government and online activists over the limits of free expression, accountability, and the responsibilities of social media platforms to monitor content deemed harmful or misleading.
Sowore had previously used his verified accounts to criticise government policies, raising questions about the balance between political commentary and legal restrictions under Nigerian law.
• Media Report