Defamation Case: Court Spares Sowore Arrest, Fixes New Arraignment Date

The Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday declined to issue an arrest warrant against activist and publisher, Omoyele Sowore, despite his absence from court for arraignment on a five-count criminal defamation charge filed by the Department of State Services (DSS).

The case, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/484/2025, also lists Meta (Facebook) Inc. and X Corporation (formerly Twitter) as co-defendants.

According to the charge, Sowore allegedly used his verified Facebook and X (Twitter) accounts to post false and defamatory statements against the DSS, some of its senior officials, and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu remarks the agency said were capable of damaging reputations and undermining national security.

The DSS accused the activist of violating the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Amendment Act, 2024, by describing the President as “a criminal” in a social media post.

The agency said the statement was intended to incite public disorder and discredit the government.

At Wednesday’s hearing, DSS counsel, Akinlolu Kehinde (SAN), asked Justice Mohammed Umar to issue a bench warrant for Sowore’s arrest, arguing that he had been duly served with court notices but failed to appear or send legal representation.

Kehinde described Sowore’s absence as “an affront to the sanctity of the court” and urged the judge to sanction him accordingly.

However, Justice Umar refused the request, noting that X Corporation the second defendant had not yet been properly served with the charge sheet, even though it received a hearing notice. The court ruled that all parties must be fully served before proceeding with the arraignment.

Counsel for X Corporation, Christabel Ndiokwelo, told the court that her client only received a hearing notice but not the substantive charges. Kehinde, however, drew the court’s attention to a letter from activist Deji Adeyanju, seeking an adjournment on Sowore’s behalf a move he described as “a deliberate act of contempt.”