Sowore Slams DSS Over Bid to Suspend His X Account, Calls It “National Disgrace”
Political activist and former presidential hopeful Omoyele Sowore has publicly criticised the Department of State Services following their formal request to X platform for his account suspension, labelling the action as “another act of national disgrace.”
During a Sunday statement, Sowore expressed his lack of surprise regarding the DSS correspondence to X, which contained allegations about his commentary on President Bola Tinubu and demanded his @YeleSowore handle be suspended.
“This morning, I woke up to yet another act of national disgrace, an assault on institutions, and on common sense,” Sowore said. “It came as no surprise to discover a ridiculously crafted letter from the DSS to X, demanding that my account be deactivated within 24 hours.”
The activist characterised this development as part of an ongoing pattern of state-sponsored intimidation, referencing recent demonstrations by what he termed “hired DSS protesters” at judicial and government facilities demanding his detention.
Sowore, known for his confrontations with security agencies, alleged that the current administration employs “outlaws who operate above their own laws” to silence opposition voices.
He connected this recent DSS action to his August 25 social media criticism of Tinubu’s statements during a Brazilian visit regarding corruption in Nigeria.
The activist detailed what he describes as systematic persecution through various state institutions, including immigration restrictions, passport confiscation, multiple arrests, and what he called “trumped-up charges” against him.
“They have gone so far as to falsely declare in open court that I am engaged in ‘terrorism financing,’ a shameless pretext to justify unlawful actions and prepare the public for further attacks against me in acts that include the use of state actors masquerading as non-state actors to harm me physically, this is the exact reason the DSS claims that “Tinubu supporters” are angry,” he stated, claiming security agencies are positioning for additional actions against him through deceptive means.
“But who are these supporters, if not the leadership of the DSS, the @PoliceNG, and other security agencies that have become conscienceless and totally lost to national priority?”
He continued: “To now export this disgrace to Twitter in the US shows how far Nigeria has sunk into the hands of its most incompetent and dysfunctional citizens.”
Despite facing these pressures, Sowore maintained his defiant stance.
“The DSS and I have been here before under the defunct Buhari regime. The same methods were deployed: force, subterfuge, and hiding behind rogue units. It all fell flat. And just as before, the leading actors will once again disappear into obscurity,” he stated.
“I have asked Nigerians the most critical question before, and I ask it again: Do you want to continue being held hostage by a tiny, wicked, inhumane band of rogues?
“As for me, there is no going back. The struggle against these criminals continues ceaselessly with or without a Twitter account, with or without Facebook, and whether I am in jail or outside of it.”
“The struggle continues,” he concluded.
Sowore also shared the official platform notification he received regarding the DSS petition on his X account.
“X (formerly Twitter) officially contacted me about the despicable threat letter they received from the lawless DSS over my Tweet on Tinubu. One option I will NOT be taking is deleting that Tweet,” he posted.
X’s notification to Sowore confirmed receipt of the DSS legal request while indicating no immediate action had been taken regarding his post.
“As X strongly believes in defending and respecting the voice of our users, it is our policy to notify our users if we receive a legal request from an authorised entity (such as law enforcement or a government agency) to remove content from their account,” the platform explained, noting this notification practice applies regardless of user location.
