Omoyele Sowore, publisher of Sahara Reporters, has asked a federal high court in Abuja for time to apply for subpoenas compelling the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS) and Bayo Onanuga, special adviser to the president on information and strategy, to testify in his ongoing trial over alleged criminal defamation.
At Wednesday’s proceedings, Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika, Sowore’s counsel, said he would seek a subpoena for the DSS director-general after a defence witness, Uwem Davies, was unable to answer some of the questions put to him.
Olumide-Fusika also told the court that although he had applied for a subpoena to be issued to Onanuga, court bailiffs had been unable to serve him.
Davies, a DSS official who testified under subpoena, told the court he wrote a January 22 letter asking Sowore to delete social media posts about President Bola Tinubu on the directive of the DSS director-general because they were capable of generating tension.
He, however, denied authoring another letter dated September 7, 2025, addressed to Meta, saying it was written by B. Bamigboye, a retired DSS officer.
In a separate ruling, Mohammed Umar, the trial judge, rejected the defence’s attempt to tender an uncertified copy of a court document through Wayne Chikezie Elijah, a former member of Sowore’s legal team.
The prosecution had objected on the grounds that the document was neither the original nor a certified true copy.
The judge upheld the objection, holding that the document could have been altered while in the custody of counsel and was therefore inadmissible.
The judge adjourned the case until July 28 for continuation.
Sowore is facing a two-count cybercrime charge filed by the DSS at the Federal High Court in Abuja, in Charge No. FHC/ABJ/CR/484/2025.
The case stems from an August 2025 social media post on X and Facebook where he called President Bola Tinubu a “criminal” over statements made during a trip to Brazil. He refused DSS demands to delete the posts, citing free speech.
The government is prosecuting him under Section 24 of the amended Cybercrimes Act, 2024 for alleged cyberstalking and criminal defamation.
Sowore was first arraigned on Dec 2, 2025, and he pleaded not guilty.
On May 26, 2026,: he filed a motion seeking Justice Mohammed Umar’s disqualification over alleged bias. However, on June 22, 2026 the court dismissed the motion.
On June 16, 2026,: Sowore failed to appear in court to continue with his defence and the judge revoked his bail and issued a bench warrant for his arrest. His lawyers had withdrawn, citing “humiliation”.
After the bench warrant, Justice Umar on June 23, 2026 ordered Sowore to be remanded at Kuje Correctional Centre until proceedings resumed.
Justice Umar granted him a ₦200 million bail with two sureties in like sum. One surety must be a traditional ruler from his community, the other must own landed property in Abuja. He was also to
-surrender his international passport to the court.
He was released to his legal team pending fulfillment of the bail conditions.
Sowore has consistently denied the charges and earlier filed a “no-case submission” arguing the prosecution failed to link him to the alleged offences, but the court dismissed that.
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