The Traffic

Showdown Looms as DSS Threatens X Over Sowore’s Anti-Tinubu Tweet

Abuja — Nigeria’s State Security Service (SSS), also known as the DSS, has issued a stern warning to X Corp (formerly Twitter), demanding the deletion of a post by activist Omoyele Sowore that criticised President Bola Tinubu. The agency threatened “far-reaching measures” against the platform if it fails to comply within 24 hours.

The DSS claims Sowore’s 25 August tweet — in which he accused Tinubu of lying during a trip to Brazil — has sparked protests by the president’s supporters and “created political tension.”

“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!” Sowore had posted.

Legal Threats and Accusations

In its letter, the DSS invoked multiple Nigerian laws, including the Criminal Code Act, Cybercrimes Act 2025, and the Terrorism Prevention Act 2022, arguing that Sowore’s comments amounted to false information, online harassment, and hate speech capable of inciting unrest.

The agency also warned that X itself could be held complicit if it failed to act, saying both the author and the platform were “culpable under Nigerian law.”

Sowore Hits Back

Reacting swiftly, Sowore described the DSS move as “a desecration of national dignity” and part of a long campaign of harassment under Tinubu’s government.

He accused the DSS of orchestrating staged protests, sponsoring mobs to demand his arrest, and weaponising the courts against him.

“This is no surprise — it’s part of their shameless persecution. They’ve seized my passport, placed me on a no-entry list, dragged me to court on trumped-up charges, and now want to silence me online,” Sowore said.

He vowed not to delete the tweet:

“The struggle continues — with or without Twitter, with or without Facebook, whether I am in jail or outside of it.”

X Corp Responds

Sowore confirmed that X formally notified him of the DSS request but clarified the company had not removed the post.

X told the activist it believed in defending user expression and informed him of his right to seek legal redress.

Options Before DSS

It remains unclear how far the DSS will go if X refuses to comply. Possible measures include:

Filing a lawsuit against Sowore and X in Nigerian courts.

Pressuring telecom regulators to restrict or block X access in Nigeria — a move reminiscent of the Buhari-era Twitter ban, which was later declared illegal by a Nigerian court.

Wider Implications

Rights groups say the episode underscores Nigeria’s worsening climate for free speech. Analysts warn that any attempt to shut down X could spark both domestic backlash and international condemnation, given Sowore’s status as a US permanent resident and X’s global footprint.

For now, the standoff sets the stage for a fresh confrontation between Nigeria’s security establishment and free speech advocates — with X Corp caught in the crossfire.

By Haruna Yakubu Haruna