Human rights activist Omoyele Sowore has accused lawyers representing Facebook’s parent company, Meta, in Nigeria of colluding with the Department of State Services (DSS) during his recent failed arraignment in Abuja, following his social media post in which he described President Bola Tinubu as a “criminal”.
Sowore made the revelation in a newsletter released on Monday, where he detailed what he described as “the latest stage-managed prosecution” against him by state security operatives acting on behalf of the Tinubu administration.
“You want to know how @Facebook lawyers in Nigeria played along with the @OfficialDSSNG during my failed arraignment last week for calling @officialABAT a criminal?” Sowore wrote in an X post that introduced his newsletter.
According to the former presidential candidate, Facebook’s counsel, Mofesomo Tayo-Oyetibo (SAN), appeared in court alongside the Director of Public Prosecutions, Mohammed Bakodo, for the scheduled arraignment before Justice Mohammed M.G. Umar on September 30.
Sowore alleged that the Meta lawyer sat “cozily” with the government prosecutor and appeared “keen” on ensuring that his arraignment went ahead despite irregularities in the process.
He narrated: “On Tuesday, September 30th, my trial with the DSS began before Justice Mohammed M.G. Umar. The charges were anchored on a post I made on Facebook and Twitter, which had gone viral.
“The Director of Public Prosecutions, Mohammed Bakodo, appeared in court but was unarguably reluctant to proceed. It turned out that the documents served to my legal counsel were unsigned by him and irregular.
“The judge confirmed that I had not been properly served and ordered that it be done in writing and in open court. Three other cases involving me and the DSS were listed on the same day.
“What appeared interesting but bizarre was the appearance of a counsel for Meta (parent company of Facebook), Mofesomo Tayo-Oyetibo SAN, who sat cozily with the DPP, ultimately willing that I was arraigned without delay.”
He added that it was only through the intervention of his lawyer, Marshal Abubakar from Femi Falana Chambers, that he was able to stop what he described as an unlawful arraignment based on unsigned and improperly served court documents.
“It took the dexterous efforts of Marshal Abubakar from Femi Falana chambers, the lead lawyer for the day, to ensure the right thing was done, and the judge concurred. Twitter did not enter an appearance at the trial,” he said.
In a lengthy statement, Sowore recounted a series of arrests, detentions, and ongoing court battles that began in January 2025, after he criticised the appointment of Inspector-General of Police Kayode Egbetokun, calling it illegal due to his retirement status.
He said that what began as a police “invitation” soon escalated into systematic persecution designed to silence his activism and journalism.
He wrote: “The signs were already visible the Nigerian state was becoming increasingly intolerant of my dissent and criticism, especially after a nationwide protest I helped coordinate from the US in August of 2024, known as EndBadGovernance revolt in Nigeria, which shook the Bola Tinubu regime.
“Shortly after that, my name was added to the Watchlist by the Nigerian Immigration Service. When I returned to Nigeria in September 2024, I was briefly detained at the Murtala Muhammad International Airport in Lagos.”
Sowore stated that his passport has been in government custody since early 2025, under questionable bail conditions, which have effectively restricted his movement within and outside the country.
The activist detailed how he has faced multiple cases in different courts, all revolving around accusations of cyberstalking, mutiny, forgery, and criminal defamation.
He described the proceedings as “bogus and unlawful,” accusing the judiciary of complicity through deliberate delays, adjournments, and procedural irregularities.
“These are not legal proceedings aimed at justice; they are political weapons designed to intimidate, silence, and punish dissent,” Sowore stated. “But repression only fuels resistance.”
Sowore also accused the DSS of acting as “the attack dogs of the regime,” saying the agency had filed a case against him on behalf of Tinubu over his social media post describing the president as a criminal.
He further mentioned that Presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga had reached out to him privately, urging him to “reinterpret” his post about Tinubu’s comments in Brazil, an overture Sowore said he rejected outright.
“He [Onanuga] sent me a WhatsApp message explaining what the President had intended to say, claiming it was a misfire. I replied that he had no right to tell me how to express my personal opinion,” Sowore revealed.
He also mentioned that the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, publicly threatened him for criticising Tinubu. He described Wike as “a consistently drunken man” who should be answering for corruption, not lecturing others.
Sowore disclosed that he attended court for five different cases between September 29 and October 2, describing it as “a straight week of persecution.”
“In each case, the DSS appeared unprepared, and new dates were reassigned,” he wrote. “These endless attempts to break me are not about the law; they are about power.”
Despite the onslaught and continued political persecution by the Nigerian authorities, Sowore vowed to continue his activism and pro-democracy activities.
