Activist and former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, has refused to comply with a directive from the Department of State Services (DSS) to delete a social media post critical of President Bola Tinubu.
Sowore disclosed on Sunday that he would not bow to what he described as an attempt by the secret police to silence dissent.
In a statement on his X account, formerly Twitter, the activist revealed that the platform had notified him of a “despicable threat letter” sent by the DSS. “One option I will NOT be taking is deleting that Tweet. Thank you, @X,” he declared.
The controversy stems from a post in which Sowore referred to President Tinubu as a “criminal,” following remarks the president made in Brazil on corruption.
According to a message from X, which Sowore also shared, the DSS claimed the post violated Nigerian laws, including the Cyber Crimes Act and the Terrorism Prevention and Prohibition Act. The agency argued that the content threatened national security and could incite protests.
The platform, however, confirmed receiving the legal request but said it had “not taken any action on the reported content at this time.” It explained that, in line with its transparency rules, users are notified when governments or law enforcement agencies seek to restrict their posts.
“We understand that receiving this type of notice can be an unsettling experience,” X stated. It advised Sowore to seek legal advice or consider other options, while stressing its commitment to protecting users’ voices.
Reports had earlier indicated that the DSS gave X a 24-hour ultimatum to remove the controversial tweet.
Sowore has a long history of clashes with Nigerian security agencies over his activism and was previously detained on charges linked to his calls for nationwide protests.
