Nigerian activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, has dragged the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Federal Government to court over what he described as an unlawful attempt to shut down his Facebook account and silence his voice online.
Sowore, through his legal representatives, Inibehe Effiong Chambers, has petitioned Meta Platforms Inc., the parent company of Facebook, against a directive from the DSS demanding the immediate ban or deactivation of his verified Facebook account and other associated pages.
In a letter dated September 8, 2025, addressed to Meta’s Chief Executive Officer in California, Sowore’s lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, described the DSS’s action as unconstitutional, unlawful, and a violation of the activist’s right to freedom of expression under both Nigerian and international laws.
According to the letter, the DSS had on September 7, 2025, written to Facebook, alleging that Sowore’s online activities amounted to “misleading information and willful intention to further an ideology capable of serious harm; incitement to violence; cybercrime; hate speech to discredit/disparage the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and cause serious threat to national security of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
However, Effiong strongly rejected these allegations, insisting they were calculated attempts by the security agency to stifle his client’s constitutional rights and silence dissent against the government. He noted that Sowore, a two-time presidential candidate and National Chairman of the African Action Congress (AAC), has consistently engaged in activism within the bounds of the law.
The petition stressed that the attempt to pressure Facebook into banning Sowore’s account is both illegal and undemocratic, emphasizing that freedom of expression remains a cornerstone of Nigeria’s constitution and international democratic norms.
Effiong warned that any move to comply with the DSS’s demand would not only set a dangerous precedent but would also undermine democratic engagement and citizens’ ability to hold leaders accountable.
Sowore, who has long been a vocal critic of successive administrations, is now seeking legal redress against what he termed the government’s latest ploy to muzzle his voice and weaken democratic participation in Nigeria.