The Department of State Services (DSS) has directed its counsel, Akinlolu Kehinde, SAN, to seek an adjournment of the alleged cybercrime case against African Action Congress presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, until after the 2027 presidential election.
The move is reportedly aimed at allowing Sowore to participate fully in the electioneering process without the court proceedings interfering with his political activities.
The DSS instituted the case over social media posts in which Sowore referred to President Bola Tinubu as a “criminal”.
The posts, published on Sowore’s X account and Facebook page on August 25, 2025, prompted the DSS to issue him a seven-day ultimatum to remove them.
After the posts were not removed, the agency approached the Federal High Court in Abuja on September 16, 2025, seeking a judicial determination of whether it was lawful for an individual to publicly describe the President or another person as a “criminal”.
X and Meta, Facebook’s parent company, were initially joined as defendants but were later struck out of the case by the Federal High Court, leaving Sowore as the sole defendant.
Sowore pleaded not guilty to the amended charges brought against him under the Cybercrimes Act 2024.
The activist has described the case as politically motivated and an attempt to restrict his freedom of expression.
A source close to the DSS legal team said the agency’s Director-General, Tosin Ajayi, met with the senior lawyer and senior officers in its legal directorate on August 20 to discuss the possibility of suspending the case.
The meeting reportedly followed the Independent National Electoral Commission’s lifting of the ban on campaigns for the 2027 election.
“The DSS boss reportedly told the Senior Advocate and his directorate of legal services that, with the commencement of presidential campaigns, it would only be fair to pause the court case in order to enable Sowore to fully participate in the upcoming elections without let or hindrance,” the source said.
The source said Ajayi noted that the case had already been before the court for almost a year and that a further four-month suspension would not make a significant difference.
The DSS has also reportedly directed its legal team to review similar cases involving candidates contesting other elective positions.
The agency has previously maintained that the Sowore case was intended to obtain a judicial interpretation of whether it was lawful to describe President Tinubu or any other person as a “criminal”.
The source said the decision to suspend proceedings would be formally communicated to the Federal High Court when it resumes normal sittings after the annual judicial vacation.
Sowore, who was previously granted bail by the court on self-recognition, is expected to continue his political activities ahead of the 2027 election.
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