The Department of State Services (DSS) has filed a five-count charge against social media platforms X and Facebook, as well as against ex-presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore.

This was disclosed by Sowore, who revealed that the secret police filed the charges because he shared a post on X, which referred to President Bola Tinubu as a criminal.

Sowore's post against the president read, "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!"

MyNigeria recalls that the DSS had asked X to delete the post, citing political tension, adding that it is "threatening the
country's national security".

"This is in addition to the disparaging effect the tweet has on the reputation of Mr. President and the country before the comity of nations," the secret police said in a letter to X.

The agency urged X to remove the tweet and its accompanying retweets immediately.

"This demand is unequivocal with its attendant consequence. Should you fail, neglect and refuse to comply with the command in this notice, the Federal Government will be compelled to take far-reaching, sweeping and across-the-board measures through our organisation, whose mandate covers such criminal acts," the DSS said.

After no response was received concerning Sowore's post, the DSS filed a five-count charge at the Federal High Court in Abuja, against the social media giants and the ex-presidential candidate.

This was revealed by Sowore, who posted on X, "The State Security Service, alias @OfficialDSSNG today filed a five-count charge at the Federal High Court in Abuja against @X (formerly @Twitter), @facebook, and myself. They claimed that because I called @officialABAT a criminal, I have somehow committed a set of “novel” offences they invented and spread across five counts.

"It’s hard to believe there’s anyone sensible left in these offices that should be making Nigeria work. Regardless, I will be present whenever this case is assigned for trial. #RevolutionNow."

ASA