‘DSS Is Lawless’ – Sowore Slams Attempt to Deactivate His Facebook Account

Nigerian activist and publisher Omoyele Sowore has strongly criticized the Department of State Services (DSS) after the agency reportedly requested that Meta, the parent company of Facebook, deactivate his account. The DSS’s request follows a Facebook post in which Sowore criticized President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

On Sunday, September 7, 2025, Sowore shared a letter on social media allegedly sent by the DSS to Meta’s headquarters in Menlo Park, California. The letter accused Sowore of spreading “misleading information” and “hate speech” in a post dated August 26, 2025. In the controversial post, Sowore challenged Tinubu’s comments made during an official visit to Brazil and accused the president of lying about corruption.

The DSS demanded the “immediate and urgent” deactivation of Sowore’s Facebook account and any associated accounts. The agency cited national security concerns and invoked several legal provisions to support its request, including;

Section 51 of the Criminal Code Act, Sections 19, 22, and 24 of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition and Prevention) Act 2025, The Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022.

In the letter, the DSS warned Meta of “far-reaching, sweeping measures” if the company failed to comply within 24 hours, a deadline that expires today, September 8, 2025.

This move comes just a day after the DSS made a similar request to the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), asking it to delete a post where Sowore described Tinubu as a “criminal.” Sowore, however, refused to comply.

Sowore Responds: “DSS Is Lawless and Incompetent”

Reacting to the DSS’s actions, Sowore called the agency “lawless,” “idle,” and “incompetent,” stating that it had failed to address Nigeria’s real security challenges. He referenced a recent incident where over 130 Nigerians were killed, questioning why the DSS was more focused on social media posts than on protecting citizens.

“Too idle and incompetent to secure Nigeria… now begging @Facebook to delete content offensive to their equally idle, tired, and criminal Commander-in-Chief,” Sowore wrote on his verified X account.

PUNCH