Human rights activist Omoyele Sowore has defiantly vowed not to retract his controversial statement describing President Bola Tinubu as a “criminal,” despite receiving a one-week ultimatum from the Department of State Services (DSS) to delete the post.
The statement that sparked the DSS action came after President Tinubu, during a state visit to Brazil, claimed that corruption no longer exists under his administration. Sowore reacted sharply, posting on his X (formerly Twitter) handle, “this criminal @officialABAT actually went to Brazil to state that there is NO MORE corruption under his regime in Nigeria. What audacity to lie shamelessly!”
This post prompted the DSS to demand Sowore remove the statement within one week or face legal consequences, accusing the activist's remarks of inciting public disturbance, disunity, and potentially insurrection.
Sowore disclosed that X formally contacted him regarding the DSS’s legal request but emphasized on his social media that he will not delete the post, stating, “Even if you give me till the end of Tinubu’s tenure in 2027, I will NOT retract my statement.”
The confrontation highlights ongoing tensions between pro-democracy activists and Nigerian security agencies over freedom of expression and criticism of government officials.