ABUJA — In a dramatic session at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday, human rights activist Omoyele Sowore was granted bail on self-recognition after being arraigned on five counts of alleged cybercrime filed by the Department of State Services (DSS).
Presiding Judge Justice Mohammed Umar cautioned Sowore against making utterances that could incite the public against President Bola Tinubu, but rejected the prosecution’s argument that the former AAC presidential candidate was a flight risk. The DSS accuses Sowore of using his social media platforms to make derogatory remarks against President Tinubu. Sowore pleaded not guilty to all charges.
The courtroom proceedings highlighted a deepening rift between the state security apparatus and the #RevolutionNow convener. While the prosecution sought Sowore’s detention, his defense team, led by Marshall Abubakar, argued that the charges were an infringement on constitutional rights.
Following the adjournment of the trial to January 19, 2026, Sowore took to his X account to condemn the proceedings, labeling the trial a “naked retaliation” for his criticism of the President. “Today, the politically scripted trial concocted by the lawless DSS resumed,” Sowore wrote. He described the prosecutor’s request for his detention as an attempt to “cage dissent, soothe bruised egos, and manufacture the illusion that criticism can be criminalised in Nigeria.”
Sowore specifically targeted the administration’s record, stating, “I described President Bola Ahmed Tinubu exactly as his record and conduct reveal him to be… regardless of the propaganda deployed to mask it.” This arraignment is the latest development in a broader legal conflict. Sowore has previously filed a counter-suit against the DSS, Meta, and X, alleging “unconstitutional censorship” of his digital accounts. His lawyer, Tope Temokun, framed the legal battle as a fight for the soul of Nigerian democracy. “Censorship of political criticism is alien to democracy,” Temokun stated. “No security agency, no matter how powerful, can suspend or delete those rights.”
Despite the judge’s warning regarding public incitement, Sowore vowed to continue his activism. “We are not backing down… we will fight for them, no matter how many sham charges or fabricated trials are thrown our way,” he declared.
