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The Digest:

The Federal Government has amended its cybercrime charges against activist and former presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore, removing X (formerly Twitter) and Meta (Facebook) as co-defendants. According to court documents, Sowore is accused of violating the Cybercrimes Act by calling President Bola Tinubu a “criminal” in an August 2025 social media post. The amended charge reduces the counts from five to two. Sowore, who pleaded not guilty, was previously granted bail on self-recognition by Justice Mohammed Umar and barred from making statements that could threaten public peace.

Key Points:
  • This case tests the boundaries of free speech and the application of cybercrime laws to political criticism in Nigeria.
  • It may set a legal precedent for how social media commentary about public officials is prosecuted under amended cybercrime legislation.
  • Dropping X and Meta as defendants focuses legal responsibility solely on the individual user, rather than the platforms.
  • The charge underscores the government’s continued use of legal avenues to address what it deems as inflammatory political speech.
  • The timing occurs amid ongoing national debates about freedom of expression, governance, and the role of dissent.

The court will next hear Sowore’s fresh plea and consider his pending challenge to its jurisdiction over the amended charges.

Sources: Vanguard, Punch