DSS Bench Warrant Request for Sowore Denied by Abuja Court

The Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday refused a request by the Department of State Services (DSS) to issue a bench warrant for activist and publisher Omoyele Sowore, who faces five counts of criminal defamation.

Sowore is being prosecuted alongside Meta (Facebook) Inc. and X Corp. (formerly Twitter) over allegedly defamatory posts on his verified social media accounts targeting President Bola Tinubu. The DSS claims Sowore published false statements, including referring to the President as “a criminal” on Facebook and X, during Tinubu’s recent trip to Brazil.

The DSS further alleged that Sowore knew the posts were false and published them “to cause a breakdown of law and order, especially among individuals with divergent views on the President.” They argued the posts violated the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Amendment Act, 2024.

At Wednesday’s proceedings, DSS counsel Akinlolu Kehinde (SAN) asked Justice Mohammed Umar to issue a bench warrant, citing Sowore’s absence and lack of legal representation. Kehinde described a letter from activist Deji Adeyanju requesting an adjournment on Sowore’s behalf as an attempt to “take the court for granted.” Counsel for Meta, Tayo Oyetibo (SAN), supported the prosecution, arguing that Sowore was deliberately avoiding court proceedings.

Justice Umar, however, declined to issue the warrant, noting that X Corp. had not yet been formally served with the charge sheet, even though it had received the hearing notice. Counsel for X Corp., Christabel Ndiokwelo, confirmed this.

The court directed that all defendants be properly served with the required documents and adjourned the case to December 2, 2025, for arraignment.