Court shifts Sowore’s arraignment for alleged false claims against Tinubu
By Jeffrey Agbo
The Federal High Court in Abuja has adjourned the arraignment of Sahara Reporters publisher, Omoyele Sowore, on allegations of making false claims against President Bola Tinubu.
Justice Mohammed Umar on Tuesday shifted the proceeding to October 27 to give Sowore “adequate facility to prepare for his defence.”
Sowore, who contested the presidency under the African Action Congress (AAC) in 2019 and 2023, is facing a five-count charge.
The Department of State Services (DSS), acting for the Federal Government, filed the case against Sowore, X Inc. (formerly Twitter) and Meta Platforms Inc. (Facebook), listed as 1st to 3rd defendants. The charge, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/484/2025, was dated September 16.
Sowore is accused of describing Tinubu as “a criminal” in posts shared on his X and Facebook accounts.
When the matter was called on Tuesday, Sowore appeared in court alongside counsel representing Meta, but there was no representation for X.
DSS counsel, Mohammed Abubakar, urged the court to read the charge to the defendants for their plea. But Sowore’s lawyer, Marshall Abubakar, objected, arguing that his client had not been formally served with the charge and stressing that the 2nd defendant’s (X’s) presence was necessary.
The court record showed that both X and Meta had been electronically served via email. DSS counsel then requested to serve Sowore in open court, which Justice Umar approved after it was not opposed by Abubakar and Meta’s counsel, Mofesomo Tayo-Oyetibo, SAN.
Marshall Abubakar further sought an adjournment to give Sowore “adequate time and opportunity to defend himself” in line with Section 282(6) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015. The judge granted the application.
The charges stem from Sowore’s August 25 post on X, in which he wrote: “This criminal @officialPBAT actually went to Brazil to state that there is no more corruption under his regime in Nigeria. What audacity to lie shamelessly!”
Prosecutors allege that Sowore knew the statement to be false and that it was intended “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).”
The alleged offence is said to contravene Section 24 (1)(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Amendment Act, 2024, among other provisions.
