Cybercrime: Non service of charge stalls Sowore’s Anti-Tinubu post arraignment

By Vivian Okejeme Abuja

The Federal Government’s inability to serve a charge sheet on Omoyele Sowore and two others stalled their arraignment on Cybercrime charges over alleged Anti-Tinubu post.
Sowore alongside X. Incorporated(Former (Twitter)and Meta (Facebook) are being prosecuted over alleged false posts against President Bola Tinubu.
Professor Tayo Oyetibo SAN represented the third accused person Meta Incorporated while the second defendant X(Former Twitter) was not represented.
The prosecution alleged that the post was aimed at causing breakdown of law and order in the country.
When the matter was called, Tuesday, Sowore through his counsel, Abubakar Marshall, noted that he had not been served with a copy of the charge or be served as required by law.
Marshall said that the second accused person had also not been served and since the trial is on joint charge, the arraignment cannot hold.
Responding, counsel to the federal government. Mohammed Babadoko Abubakar, disagreed to the allegations of non service of the charge claimed and insisted that Sowore had been served.
Justice Mohammed Garba consulted with the case file and found that Sowore had not been served.
Subsequently, the prosecution applied for an order to serve him in the open court which was granted.
However, Sowore applied for three days as required by law to study the charge and prepare for his defense.
Though, the prosecution objected the request, but the court granted it and adjourned till October 27.
In the 5-count criminal charges marked FHC/ABJ/CR)484/2025, Sowore was accused of using his official x handle page at Yele Sowore to tweet “This criminal @ official PBAT Actually went to Brazil to state that there is no more corruption under his regime in Nigeria. What audacity to lie shamelessly!.
The alleged offending post said to be contrary to Section 24(2) (b) of the Cybercrimes Prohibition and Prevention Act 2024 was said to have been made on August 25, 2025 within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court.
The alleged offending post said to be contrary to Section 24(2) (b) of the Cybercrimes Prohibition and Prevention Act 2024 was said to have been made on August 25, 2025 within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court.
In count two, Sowore was said to have on August 26 used his official page Facebook to send the same false message out for the purpose of causing a breakdown of law and order in the country especially among those who hold divergent views on the person of President Bola Tinubu.
The alleged offence is said to be contrary to Section 24(2) (b) of the Cybercrimes Prohibition and Prevention Act 2024
In count three, the activist was accused of using the instrumentality of X, via his his official account X account at Yele Sowore to publish defamatory material on his online platform to wit “This criminal @ official PBAT Actually went to Brazil to state that there is no more corruption under his regime in Nigeria. What audacity to lie shamelessly!.against the personality and reputation of President Bola Tinubu.
He was said to have committed an offence contrary to section 375 of the Criminal Code.
The Department of the State Service DSS which filed the charges on behalf of the federal government also accused Sowore of using the instrumentality of his Facebook platform to publish defamatory material against the Nigeria’s President contrary to section 375 of the Criminal Code.
In count five, the defendant was alleged to have intent to cause public fear and disturbances published false information against the reputation of President Bola Tinubu contrary to section 59 of the Criminal Code Act and punishable under the same act.