DSS demands immediate ban of Sowore’s X account, citing national security threat
DSS
Abdullateef Fowewe
The Department of State Services (DSS) has issued an urgent demand to X Corp., headquartered in Bastrop County, Texas, for the immediate deactivation of activist Omoyele Sowore’s verified X account @YeleSowore.
This action follows a tweet posted by Sowore on August 26, 2025, that the government describes as “misleading information and willful intention of furthering an ideology capable of serious harm.”
The controversial tweet, which targeted the Nigerian President’s official X handle @officialABAT, stated, “This criminal @officialABAT actually went to Brazil to state that there is NO MORE corruption under his regime in Nigeria. What audacity to lie shamelessly!”
According to a letter addressed to X Corp. by B. Bamigboye, the Director General of State Services, this tweet has incited political tension and public protests on Nigerian streets, escalating a “serious threat to national security.”
The letter further alleges that the post violates Nigerian laws including Section 51 of the Criminal Code Act, the Cyber Crimes Act 2025, and the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022.
“The words employed by Mr. Omoyele Sowore is misleading information, online harassment and abuse, willful intention of furthering an ideology capable of serious harm, hate speech, cause disunity, discredit/disparage the President… and cause serious threat to national security,” The DSS noted.
The agency in the letter thereby set a 24-hour deadline for X Corp. to take down the offending tweet along with all retweets, cautioning that failure to comply will result in sweeping legal and regulatory actions against the social media company.
