Two prominent human rights groups, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) and Amnesty International (AI), have called on President Bola Tinubu to order the immediate withdrawal of cybercrime and criminal defamation charges against activist Omoyele Sowore, as well as against X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook.
This was contained in a joint letter dated 20 September 2025, signed by SERAP’s deputy director Kolawole Oluwadare and Amnesty International Nigeria’s director Isa Sanusi.
The groups urged Tinubu to “direct the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Mr Lateef Fagbemi, SAN to immediately withdraw the charges against activist Omoyele Sowore, X [formerly Twitter] and Facebook owners over Mr Sowore’s alleged critical and ‘anti-Tinubu’ posts on the social media platforms.”
They further asked the president to ensure that security agencies stop exploiting the courts to punish dissent.
“We urge you to direct the Department of State Services (DSS) and other security and law enforcement agencies to immediately stop misusing the judicial processes to silence public criticism and violate Nigerians’ rights through the use of Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs) or similar forms of harassment,” the letter read.
SERAP and Amnesty International specifically demanded that the justice minister initiate measures to strengthen protections for freedom of speech.
They wrote: “We urge you to direct Mr Fagbemi to urgently prepare an anti-SLAPP legislation for the National Assembly, to protect Nigerians from the weaponization of the justice system by the DSS and other security and law enforcement agencies and to safeguard the right to freedom of expression.”
The letter warned that using the justice system to target dissenters “is entirely inconsistent with the Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended] and the country’s international human rights obligations.”
The groups explained, “SLAPP and criminal defamation lawsuits are neither necessary nor proportionate under the Nigerian Constitution and human rights treaties to which Nigeria is a state party.
“Such lawsuits generate a chilling effect that inhibits the enjoyment of human rights and circulation of ideas and information.”
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According to the groups, the Federal Government recently charged Sowore, along with owners of X and Facebook, over allegedly critical posts.
“Two of the counts are brought under the Cybercrimes Act while the other three charges of criminal defamation, causing public fear and disturbance are brought under the Criminal Code Act,” they stated.
The suit was filed by the Director of Public Prosecutions on 16 September 2025 after Sowore allegedly refused to delete posts critical of President Tinubu.
The groups also raised concerns about the broader use of SLAPP lawsuits in the country. They cited the DSS’s lawsuit against Professor Pat Utomi in May 2025 for allegedly plotting a “shadow government,” and another filed against SERAP itself in 2024.
“These cases illustrate the growing use of SLAPP lawsuits by the DSS and other security and law enforcement agencies in Nigeria to target, harass and intimidate Nigerians for the peaceful exercise of their human rights,” the letter said.
At the heart of their argument is freedom of expression. The groups wrote, “Freedom of expression is a fundamental human right and full enjoyment of this right is central to achieving individual freedom and to developing democracy. It is not only the cornerstone of democracy, but indispensable to a thriving civil society.”
They reminded Tinubu of his own words on Democracy Day, June 12, 2025, quoting him: “We dare not seek silence because the imposed silence of repressed voices breeds chaos and ill will, not the harmonics of democracy in the long term… Call me names, call me whatever you will, and I will still call upon democracy to defend your right to do so.”
The letter further referenced a 2022 ECOWAS Court judgment, which declared parts of the Cybercrime Act “arbitrary, vague and repressive” and ordered Nigeria to repeal them.
Despite amendments in 2024, SERAP and Amnesty said the provisions still pose risks.
“Whether labelled as cyberstalking, criminal defamation, seditious libel of government officials or false news, the provisions… disproportionately penalize the accused and inevitably limits protected public discussion and debate on matters of legitimate public concern,” they warned.
Concluding, the rights groups gave Tinubu a one-week deadline: “We would be grateful if the recommended measures are taken within 7 days… If we have not heard from you by then, we would consider all appropriate legal actions including before the ECOWAS Court of Justice to compel your government to comply with our request in the public interest.”