Human Rights Activist, Omoyele Sowore

Justice Mohammed Umar of the Federal High Court, Abuja, yesterday granted bail to activist and publisher Omoyele Sowore on self-recognition, with a caution not to make statements capable of inciting the public against President Tinubu.

Sowore was arraigned by the Department of State Services (DSS) on a five-count charge bordering on alleged cybercrime, including claims of making derogatory remarks about President Tinubu on his social media accounts. He pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Before the plea was taken, Sowore’s counsel, Marshall Abubakar, challenged the competence of the suit, arguing that the court lacked jurisdiction. The prosecution objected, noting that it had only been served with the processes earlier in the day.

In a brief ruling, Justice Umar held that the jurisdictional objection was not ripe for hearing since the prosecution required adequate time to file a counter-affidavit. He directed that the charges be read to the defendant.

Following Sowore’s not-guilty plea, his counsel sought bail on self-recognition, which the prosecution opposed, alleging that the activist posed a flight risk. Justice Umar, however, granted the request and adjourned the case to January 19, 2026, for trial.

The latest charges stem from a case filed by the DSS in September over Sowore’s social media posts about President Tinubu. In response, Sowore instituted a counter-suit against the DSS, Meta, and X, challenging what his legal team described as unconstitutional censorship of his online accounts.

His lawyer, Tope Temokun, argued that the matter concerns the survival of free speech in Nigeria, insisting that state agencies cannot dictate to global platforms who may speak and what may be said.

“Censorship of political criticism is alien to democracy,” Temokun said, stressing that Section 39 of the Nigerian Constitution guarantees freedom of expression and that no security agency has the power to suspend or delete those rights.