· Secret police pressure X to delete post
· Amnesty, Sowore, activists kick
By Laraba MUREY
Nigeria’s secret police, Department of State Security, DSS, has claimed that supporters of President Bola Tinubu are agitated over a tweet by Omoyole Sowore, who ran for president under the African Action Congress in the 2023 general elections.
The DSS in a request to the parent company of X wants the microblogging giant to remove the tweet to forestall civil unrest in the country by supporters of the president.
In a letter to X Corp, the DSS claimed a post Sowore made about President Bola Ahmed Tinubu posed a threat to national security.
Sowore, on August 28, had written: “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!”
According to the DSS, the post had generated public condemnation and could provoke unrest among the president’s supporters.
President Tinubu on a visit to Brazil, penultimate week, claimed that there is “no more corruption” since he took office.
He made the statement during a meeting with ministers from both countries and members of the Brazil Business Group.
Since the DSS request, a firestorm has been raging since Sunday with Human Rights organisation, Amnesty International, AI, knocking the DSS and urged them to immediately withdraw its shocking demand to X (formerly known as Twitter).
Sowore said on Sunday he would not bow to what he called an attempt by the secret police to silence dissent.
In a statement on his X account, formerly Twitter, the activist revealed that the platform had notified him of a “despicable threat letter” sent by the DSS. “One option I will NOT be taking is deleting that Tweet. Thank you, @X,” Sowore wrote.
In the statement, AI noted that the Nigerian authorities’ demand for the deactivation of Sowore’s X account goes too far, and is outrageous, while clearly showing a desperate attempt at censorship and abuse of power.
“The DSS targeting of Sowore’s X account is being done without any legal justification, as recognised under international human rights law and this represents a violation of Nigeria’s obligations under the Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended] the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Nigeria has ratified both human rights treaties.
“Nigerian authorities must refrain from violating human rights online including the rights to freedom of expression and privacy and fulfil their constitutional and international human rights obligations.
“On its part, X must not yield to censorship demands of the Nigerian government, through targeting the voices of activists, and must do all in its power to protect freedom of expression on its platform.”
Also, Tope Temokun Chambers, the law firm representing Sowore, has asked X to disregard a request from the DSS to take down the post.
In a letter addressed to X, the law firm described the DSS request as “unlawful, unconstitutional and without legal foundation”.
Citing section 39(1) of the 1999 constitution, article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, and several judicial precedents, the law firm noted that only a court of competent jurisdiction can restrict expression.
“The DSS is not a court of law and cannot arrogate such powers to itself,” the letter reads.
The law firm accused the Nigerian government of a “historical pattern of repression” against Sowore, referencing his repeated arrests, detentions and ongoing trials since 2019.
“This request is not an isolated incident but part of a pattern of harassment and censorship designed to silence a critic of the government,” the letter reads.
The chambers noted the international implications, adding that Sowore is a US permanent resident.
Complying with the DSS request, the law firm warned, would make X “complicit in the violation of human rights obligations”.
The chambers demanded that X ignore the DSS directive, saying any compliance would amount to “aiding and abetting state repression
“Our client reserves the right to seek redress before competent national and international fora should any action be taken that violates his rights.”
