The planned arraignment of activist and Sahara Reporters publisher, Omoyele Sowore, alongside two others, on cybercrime charges, failed to take off on Tuesday at the Federal High Court, Abuja.
The proceeding stalled after it emerged that Sowore had not been formally served with the charge sheet as required by law. When the case was called, his lead counsel, Abubakar Marshall, objected to the trial, arguing that neither Sowore nor the second accused person had received the charges. He maintained that since the case involved a joint charge, arraignment could not proceed.
However, the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation (DPPF), Mohammed Babadoko Abubakar, countered that Sowore had already been served. But when Justice Mohammed Garba checked the case file, it was confirmed that the activist had indeed not been served.
Following this, the DPPF sought permission to serve Sowore in open court, which the judge granted. Sowore personally accepted the service.
The activist then applied for three days, as provided by law, to study the charges and prepare his defense. Despite the prosecution’s objection, Justice Garba upheld Sowore’s request and adjourned the arraignment to October 27.
At Tuesday’s session, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Professor Tayo Oyetibo, represented the third defendant, Metal Incorporation, while the second defendant, identified as “X,” was unrepresented.
Sowore, along with the two corporate defendants—X Incorporation and Meta (Facebook)—faces a five-count criminal charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/484/2025. The charges stem from allegedly false and defamatory social media posts targeting President Bola Tinubu.
According to the Department of State Services (DSS), which filed the case on behalf of the federal government, Sowore allegedly used his verified X handle (@YeleSowore) and Facebook page in August 2025 to publish posts claiming President Tinubu lied about corruption in Nigeria. The government contends that the posts were false, defamatory, and capable of causing public disorder.
The charges were brought under Section 24(2)(b) of the Cybercrimes Prohibition and Prevention Act 2024, Section 375 of the Criminal Code, and Section 59 of the Criminal Code Act.
The high-profile case, which pits a prominent government critic against the federal government, will now resume on October 27 for formal arraignment.
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