Cybercrime Case: SSS Presents Sowore’s Post Labeling Tinubu a Criminal as Evidence, Displays Video

On Thursday, the State Security Services (SSS) submitted a revised copy of a social media post made by rights activist Omoyele Sowore in which he called President Bola Tinubu a criminal, during proceedings at the Federal High Court in Abuja.

Additionally, the SSS showed a video recording of a speech made by President Tinubu on August 26, 2025, during his official visit to Brazil, which had inspired Sowore's controversial remarks on social media.

During the hearing, presided over by trial judge Mohammed Umar, the first witness for the prosecution, Cyril Nosike, an operative of the SSS, was testifying. The digital evidence was accepted and marked as exhibits by the judge, while defense attorney Marshal Abubakar deferred his objections for the final written submissions.

The SSS's actions took place as the agency moved forward with the prosecution of Sowore, the publisher of Sahara Reporters, who faces allegations of cyberstalking the president based on his statements shared on X and Facebook.

The video evidence and Sowore's post were recorded on a flash drive, which the court accepted as Exhibit A, alongside a certificate of compliance that was accepted as Exhibit B after the defense attorney stated he would counter the evidence at a later stage.

The video displayed President Tinubu, believed to be speaking from Brazil at the time, discussing his administration's accomplishments and urging Brazilian investors to engage with Nigeria, claiming an absence of corruption.

Nosike testified that he monitored the cyberspace and discovered Sowore's post in the course of his duties, stating, "On the 26th of August 2025, I tracked a social media entry made by the defendant on his X account. The content read: 'This criminal @officialABAT actually went to Brazil to say that there is no more corruption under his regime in Nigeria. What an audacity to lie shamelessly.'"

He clarified that the handle "@officialABAT" belonged to the President of Nigeria. He added that after viewing the president’s speech, he downloaded it onto a flash drive labeled "XYZ" and secured a compliance certificate to meet the Evidence Act requirements.

Sowore's post, which he defended as his right to express, led to further communication, with the SSS sending an official letter requesting the removal of his post from the respective social media platforms, citing the tensions it had stirred. This letter, alongside its screenshot proving delivery, was marked Exhibit D by the judge.

Additionally, the SSS sent Sowore a letter through his legal representation, leading to a demand for retraction concerning his comments. After receiving this correspondence, Sowore continued to share the original post despite its classified nature and urged that he wouldn’t delete it, while both X and Facebook had not acted on the agency's request.

The security officer emphasized that the reactions to Sowore's comments complicated the work of security agencies and depicted them unfavorably in public perception. Sowore has consistently denied allegations against him and criticized the SSS for misappropriating public resources to prosecute what he perceives as a baseless case.

The trial continues, with the next hearing scheduled for January 27, to allow for cross-examination of the prosecution’s initial witness.