The Department of State Services (DSS) has given activist and publisher, Omoyele Sowore, a one-week ultimatum to retract a social media post in which he described President Bola Tinubu as a “criminal.”
In a letter dated September 7, 2025, and signed by its Director of Legal Services, Uwem Davies, the agency accused Sowore of publishing “false, malicious, and inciting” remarks on X (formerly Twitter) on August 26. The DSS warned that the post was “capable of inciting public disturbance, disunity, and even insurrection.”
According to the letter, Sowore’s choice of words was “odious, repugnant, derogatory, and uncomplimentary towards a person occupying the highest office of this country.” The DSS further noted that the comment had “sparked anger among citizens,” insisting that individuals of Sowore’s political standing must show restraint and responsibility.
Related: Sowore Slams DSS Over Move to Deactivate His X Account
The security agency directed Sowore to retract the post immediately on the same platform and with equal visibility. It also demanded that he publish a public apology in at least two widely read national newspapers and two television stations with national coverage. Additionally, Sowore is to submit a formal representation to the DSS headquarters in Abuja or via official email within one week.
“Make an immediate and unequivocal retraction of the false and repugnant post through the same platform and with the same prominence as the initial post,” the DSS wrote.
The agency disclosed that a copy of the letter was sent to the United States Embassy in Abuja, given Sowore’s ties to both Nigeria and the U.S. It warned that failure to comply would compel it to “initiate measures it deems most appropriate within the ambit of the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
