BREAKING: Nigerian Govt Amends Cyberbullying Charges Against Sowore For Calling Tinubu ‘Criminal’, Removes Meta, X As Defendants

According to a court document obtained by SaharaReporters on Monday, the amended charge was filed in December 2025 before the Federal High Court in Abuja under Charge No: FHC/ABJ/CR/484/2025.

The Federal Government of Nigeria has amended its criminal charges against human rights activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, in a case alleging cyberbullying against President Bola Tinubu.

According to a court document obtained by SaharaReporters on Monday, the amended charge was filed in December 2025 before the Federal High Court in Abuja under Charge No: FHC/ABJ/CR/484/2025.

The revised charge sheet now contains two counts against Sowore, whereas earlier versions had included additional defendants.

Notably, the prosecution removed X Corp., the owner of the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), and Meta Platforms Inc., the parent company of Facebook, as co-defendants in the case.

The charges relate to posts made by Sowore on August 25, 2025, on his official X and Facebook accounts.

In Count One, the government alleges that on or about August 25, 2025, Sowore “knowingly or intentionally” sent a message via his official X handle, @YeleSowore, which the prosecution claims was false and intended to cause a breakdown of law and order in Nigeria or pose a threat to life.

The specific post cited in the charge reads: “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 prosecution argues that by publishing this statement, Sowore committed the offence of cyberstalking under Section 24(1)(b) and Section 24(2)(a), (b), and (c) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc.) (Amendment) Act, 2024.

In Count Two, the Federal Government makes an identical allegation regarding a Facebook post published by Sowore on the same date, containing the same wording.

The prosecution maintains that both posts were knowingly false and made with the intent to cause public disorder or endanger lives.

The charges are brought under the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc.) (Amendment) Act, 2024, specifically provisions relating to cyberstalking.

The government contends that Sowore’s statements constituted criminal conduct under the Act and are punishable under the same legal provisions.

The amended charge was dated December 4, 2025, and signed on behalf of the Federal Republic of Nigeria by the legal firm Kehinde & Partners LP.

The prosecution team listed includes Akinlolu Kehinde, SAN (UK); Olukayode Enitan, SAN; Adeyemi Pitan, SAN; Kenneth E. Cyril Ita, Esq. and I.C. Anigbogu, Esq.

The case is pending before the Federal High Court in Abuja.

Meanwhile, in the earlier criminal charges brought by the Federal Government through the Department of State Services (DSS) against Sowore, Meta and X were also named as co-defendants for allegedly providing the platforms used to disseminate the post.

The DSS had filed a five-count charge at the registry of the Federal High Court, accusing Sowore of defaming President Bola Ahmed Tinubu by calling him a “criminal.”

The charges were filed on September 16, 2025, by M.B. Abubakar, Esq., Director of Public Prosecutions at the Federal Ministry of Justice (FMOJ), together with other counsel listed as M.E. Ernest, Esq., U.B. Bulla, Esq., C.S. Eze, and E.G. Orubor, Esq.

According to court documents, the DSS listed its exhibits as: a printout of the defendant’s tweet, a printout of the defendant’s Facebook post, a letter to X, a letter to Facebook, and the defendant’s subsequent posts regarding those letters.

The prosecution also indicated that additional evidence may be presented during trial.

Count one read: “That you, Omoyele Sowore, adult, male on or about the 25th day of August, 2025, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did use your official X Handle page, @Yele Sowore, to send out a message/ tweet as: 'THIS CRIMINAL @ OFFICIAL PBAT ACTUALLY WENT TO BRAZIL TO STATE THAT THERE IS NO MORE CORRUPTION UNDER HIS REGIME IN NIGERIA. WHAT AUDACITY TO LIE SHAMELESSLY!', which you know the said message to be false but posted it for the purpose of causing a breakdown of law and order in the country, especially among individuals who hold divergent views on the personality of the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu (GCFR) and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 24 (1) (b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Amendment Act, 2024.”

Count two read: “That you, Omoyele Sowore, adult male on or about the 26th day of August, 2025, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did use your official Facebook page, Omoyele Sowore, to send out a message/ post as: 'THIS CRIMINAL @ OFFICIAL PBAT ACTUALLY WENT TO BRAZIL TO STATE THAT THERE IS NO MORE CORRUPTION UNDER HIS REGIME IN NIGERIA. WHAT AUDACITY TO LIE SHAMELESSLY!", which you know the said message/post to be false but posted it for the purpose of causing a breakdown of law and order in the country, especially among individuals who hold divergent views on the personality of the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu (GCFR) and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 24 (1) (b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Amendment Act, 2024.”

In Count three, Sowore was accused of defaming President Tinubu in an August 25, 2025 post on his official X (Twitter) account, where he called the President a “criminal” and accused him of lying about ending corruption in Nigeria.

Count four was a similar accusation related to Sowore's August 26, 2025, post on his official Facebook page, repeating the same statement against the President.

In Count five, Sowore was accused of deliberately publishing false information on both X and Facebook on August 26, 2025, allegedly intended to cause public fear and disturbance, targeting the reputation of President Tinubu.