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Alleged Defamation: Court Turns Down DSS Request to Arrest Sowore
The Federal High Court in Abuja, on Wednesday, declined a request by the Department of State Services (DSS) to issue a bench warrant for the arrest of activist and publisher of Sahara Reporters, Omoyele Sowore, in his ongoing defamation trial.
Sowore is being prosecuted over comments made on social media in which he allegedly described President Bola Tinubu as a “criminal.”
The Federal government argues the statement contravenes provisions of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Amendment Act, 2024, as well as sections of the Criminal Code, and is capable of inciting public disorder.
Director of Public Prosecutions, M. B. Abubakar, told the court that Sowore’s remarks amounted to cyber harassment and criminal defamation under Section 24(1)(b) of the Cybercrimes Act and Sections 59 and 375 of the Criminal Code.
He insisted the activist must be held accountable for using digital platforms to malign the President.
During proceedings, counsel to the DSS, Akinlolu Kehinde, SAN, urged the court to issue a bench warrant, arguing that Sowore had been duly served with the charge and hearing notice but failed to appear.
He described the absence as a clear disregard for judicial authority.
According to Kehinde, allowing such conduct to go unchallenged could undermine the court’s authority — particularly in politically sensitive matters involving state institutions.
He also dismissed a letter submitted by activist Deji Adeyanju seeking an adjournment on Sowore’s behalf, describing it as an attempt to delay the case.
However, presiding Judge, Justice Mohammed Umar, declined the request. He ruled that it would be premature to issue a bench warrant because the second defendant in the matter, X Corporation (formerly Twitter), had not been properly served with the charge sheet.
The judge held that due process in serving all defendants must be completed before any coercive orders can be considered.
Counsel to X Corporation, Christabel Ndiokwelo, confirmed that although her client received the hearing notice, the formal charges had not yet been served.
Counsel to META (Facebook), Tayo Oyetibo (SAN), was also in court.
He aligned with the government’s position, describing Sowore’s absence as deliberate. He also dismissed Sowore’s claims that social media companies were collaborating with the DSS to censor him as “baseless and diversionary.”
Justice Umar adjourned the case to December 2, 2025, for proper arraignment, and directed that fresh hearing notices and charge documents be served on all parties to prevent further delays.
The Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), in collaboration with the Body of Banks’ CEOs, hosted an engagement with the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, in Lagos.
The meeting, according to a statement by the Force Public Relations Officer, Ag. ACP Benjamin Hundeyin, and made available to the National Association of Online Security News Publishers (NAOSNP), reinforced the shared commitment to safeguarding Nigeria’s financial system as a critical pillar of national stability and economic growth.
In his remarks, the IGP underscored the strong nexus between financial security and national security, noting that the resilience of banking operations is central to investor confidence and Nigeria’s global credibility. He highlighted the evolving threat environment, emphasizing that beyond traditional risks such as armed attacks, the sector now faces increasingly sophisticated challenges, including cyber-enabled fraud, identity compromise, insider facilitation, and illicit financial flows.
To address these risks, the Nigeria Police Force continues to advance an intelligence-led approach to protecting financial infrastructure. The IGP referenced recent operations that dismantled violent crime networks, disrupted kidnapping syndicates, and recovered illegal arms, thereby strengthening the enabling environment for business continuity. He further noted his recent engagements with the Director-General of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in Abuja and the Nigeria Exchange Group (NGX), both aimed at enhancing financial system integrity and investor protection.
In line with the Nigeria Police Act, 2020, the Force is enhancing the recruitment, training, and deployment of Supernumerary Police Officers (Spy Police) to meet the specialized security needs of banks and other critical financial institutions.
In conclusion, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, Ph.D, NPM, reaffirmed the Nigeria Police Force’s commitment to working closely with the banking sector as a strategic partner in safeguarding the stability, integrity, and international reputation of Nigeria’s financial architecture.
Passengers aboard an Arik Air flight from Lagos to Port Harcourt experienced moments of anxiety on Wednesday morning after the aircraft developed an engine issue mid-air, forcing an emergency diversion to Benin City.
Following established safety procedures, the pilots immediately diverted the flight to the nearest airport as a precaution. The aircraft landed safely at Benin Airport without further complications.
Arik Air said all 80 passengers and crew members onboard disembarked safely, with no injuries recorded. The airline added that arrangements had been made to convey affected passengers to their intended destination in Port Harcourt.
“The safety and wellbeing of passengers is always our priority at Arik Air. We sincerely apologise to the affected Port Harcourt passengers whose journey has been disrupted,” the statement read.
The Senate may release records of how lawmakers voted on the controversial electronic transmission of election results, Senator Abdul Ningi, who represents Bauchi Central, has said.
Ningi spoke on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Monday, ahead of the emergency plenary session scheduled for Tuesday, convened amid mounting public criticism over the Senate’s handling of the Electoral Act amendment.
Asked whether Nigerians could be allowed to see which senators supported or opposed real-time electronic transmission of results, Ningi said such disclosure was possible under the Senate’s rules.
“I think it’s possible. It depends on the presiding officer because the law provides that,” he said.
Explaining how the process could be made transparent, the lawmaker added: “You can stand up and say, ‘I, Ningi, I accept e-transmission in real time.’ I sit down. It’s recorded every other senator, and that is the only way we need to move forward.”
Ningi said the controversy surrounding the amendment was partly due to gaps in the official record of what transpired during deliberations.
“One thing that is very important is that the votes and proceedings have not been captured. So tomorrow (today), we need to look at what the votes and proceedings captured are. Is it a transfer?” he said.
He further questioned how the amendment to the electronic transmission clause was handled on the floor of the chamber.
“There was a motion for amendment by Manguno, and then the question was put. Who asked the question? Why was the question raised?” Ningi asked.
According to him, the matter required clearer deliberation before any decision was taken.
