Justice Mohammed Umar of the Federal High Court in Abuja, has struck out Meta and X as defendants in the amended Cyberbullying charges brought against Omoyele Sowore for calling President Bola Tinubu a ‘criminal’,
The Judge on Monday struck out names of the two foreign defendants when Sowore was re-arraigned on Monday and following the request of counsel to the Department of the State Service DSS, lawyer, Akinlolu Kehinde SAN withdrawing them from the new charge.
In a short ruling, Justice Umar 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 new case.
In the amended charge filed on December 5, 2025 Sowore, a two time former Presidential candidate was re-arraigned by DSS on two count charges bothering on defamation of Tinubu as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The new charge at the Federal High Court in Abuja is marked FHC/ABJ/CR/484/2025 and signed by Akinlolu Kehinde SAN on behalf of the federal government.
“COUNT ONE, That you, Omoyele Sowore, Adull, Male, on or abou! the 25” day of August 2025. within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did knowingly or intentionally send a message by meons of a computer system or network, to wit: your official “X” (formerly Twitter} handle page, @YeleSowore. wherein you posted the following message/tweet: ‘This criminal @officlolABAT actually went to Brazil to state that there is NO MORE corruption under his regime in Nigeria. What audacity to shamelessly lie, which message you knew to be fake and posted for the purpose of causing a breakdown of law and order in Nigeria. posing a threat to life, or causing such message to be sent and thereby committed the offence of Cyberstalking contrary to Section 24(1) (b) and 24(2) (a). (6), and (c) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, fic.) (Amendment) Act, 2024 and punishable under the same section.
“COUNT Two That you. Omoyele Sowore, Adult. Male, on or about the 25” day of August, 2025. within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did knowingly or intentionally send a message by means of a computer system or network, to wit: your Official Facebook handle page. @YeleSowore, wherein you posted the following message/post: “This criminal @officlalABAT actually went to Brazil to state that there Is NO MORE corruption under his regime in Nigeria. What audacity to shamelessly lie” which message you knew to be false and posted for the purpose of causing a breakdown of law and order in Nigeria, posing a threat to life. or causing such message to be sent and thereby committed the offence of Cyberstalking contrary to Section 241(b) and 24(2) (a), (b), and (c) of the. Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Bic.) (Amendment) Act, 2024 and punishable under some section.
However, Sowore pleaded not guilty to the two count charges when read to him.
Attempts to open trial was, however, stalled due to complaints by Sowore’s lawyer, Abubakar Marshall that the names of the witnesses and their particulars were not attached to the proof of evidence as required by law.
He claimed that the refusal to name the witnesses and disclose their identities violated section 36 of the 1999 which compels fair hearing in any matter of the nature.
Concerted efforts by the lawyer to the federal government, Akinlolu Kehinde SAN could not help the matter prompting the Judge to shift trial date to January 22.
The Judge ordered Akinlolu Kehinde SAN to comply with the provisions of the law by listing names of the witnesses and their particulars and to also supply the defendant with necessary documents that would aid his preparation for defense.
The summary of the charge is that the Defendant is standing trial on a two (2) count charge of cyberstalking Contrary to Section 24(1) (b) and 24(2) (a), (b), and (c) of the Cybercrimes Act! (Prohibition, Prevention, Bic.) (Amendment) Act, 2024.
The prosecution alleges that the Defendant knowingly and intentionally sent messages he knew to be false through his official “X” (formerly Twitter) and Facebook handles, wherein he published the statement: “This criminal @ofliclolABA! actually went to Brazil to state that there is NO MORE corruption under his regime in Nigeria. What audacity to shamelessly lie’
The prosecution contends that by referring to the President and Commander-in-Chiet of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR. as a “criminal,” the Defendant published a false statement for the purpose of causing a breakdown of law and order, posing threat to or causing such message to be sent.
The charges are punishable with a fine of a minimum of Fifteen Million Naira or five years imprisonment.
