The Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday postponed the arraignment of Sahara Reporters publisher, Omoyele Sowore, until November 5.
The hearing, which was meant for Sowore and his co-defendants to enter their pleas, did not hold due to the absence of Justice Mohammed Umar.
Justice Umar, who is presiding over the case, was reportedly sitting in another division of the court.
As a result, the court fixed November 5 for the arraignment of Sowore, X Incorp. (formerly Twitter), and Meta (Facebook) Inc., which are listed as the 1st to 3rd defendants, respectively.
The judge had, on September 30, adjourned the case to give Sowore sufficient time to prepare for his defence.
NAN also reported that Sowore, who contested as the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) in 2019 and 2023, is facing a five-count charge.
The charge, numbered FHC/ABJ/CR/484/2025, was dated September 16.
The Department of State Services (DSS), representing the Federal Government, filed the case against Sowore, X Incorp. (formerly Twitter), and Meta (Facebook) Inc., listed as the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd defendants, respectively.
Sowore was accused of making a false statement about President Bola Tinubu by calling him “a criminal” on his Twitter and Facebook accounts.
The case was instituted a few days after the DSS requested that the allegedly defamatory posts on Sowore’s Facebook and X pages be taken down.
The prosecution alleged that Sowore’s action violated the provisions of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Amendment Act, 2024.
The first count of the charge claimed that on or about August 25, Sowore used his official X account, @YeleSowore, to post a message or tweet.
The post allegedly read, “THIS CRIMINAL @ OFFICIAL PBAT ACTUALLY WENT TO BRAZIL TO STATE THAT THERE IS NO MORE CORRUPTION UNDER HIS REGIME IN NIGERIA. WHAT AUDACITY TO LIE SHAMELESSLY!”
It was alleged that Sowore knowingly published the statement “for the purpose of causing a breakdown of law and order in the country, especially among individuals who hold divergent views on the personality of the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu (GCFR).”
The alleged offence contravenes Section 24 (1) (b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Amendment Act, 2024, among other related provisions.
