In a stern rebuke of what they call the weaponisation of the justice system, two of Nigeria's foremost human rights organisations, the Socio-Economic Rights and Activity Project (SERAP) and Amnesty International (AI), have formally urged President Bola Tinubu to immediately withdraw all criminal charges against activist Omoyele Sowore, X, and Facebook.
The charges, stemming from Sowore's alleged "anti-Tinubu" posts, are categorised by the groups as Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation, or SLAPPs, a legal tactic used to silence critics.
In a joint letter dated September 20, 2025, and addressed to the president, SERAP's deputy director, Kolawole Oluwadare, and AI Nigeria's director, Isa Sanusi, raised concerns over the growing use of these lawsuits by state security agencies to harass and intimidate Nigerians.
They contended that such legal actions are entirely inconsistent with the Nigerian Constitution and the nation's international human rights commitments.
The suit against Sowore, which includes five counts under the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) (Amendment) Act 2024 and the Criminal Code Act, was filed after the activist reportedly refused to delete posts deemed critical of President Tinubu.
According to the groups, this is not the first time Sowore has been targeted, adding that the DSS, which brought the charges on behalf of the Federal Government, has a recent history of using such legal manoeuvres.
They cited a similar case against Professor Pat Utomi, a former presidential candidate, who was sued in May 2025 for allegedly attempting to illegally usurp executive powers by forming a shadow government.
SERAP and Amnesty International stressed that the use of SLAPPs generates a chilling effect that inhibits the enjoyment of human rights and the circulation of ideas and information.
They pointed out that a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the very cybercrime act used in the Sowore case is already pending before the ECOWAS Court, arguing that the DSS should not use the law to silence peaceful dissent while its legality is under review.
Beyond the immediate case, the letter urged President Tinubu to direct the Attorney General of the Federation to draft and present anti-SLAPP legislation to the National Assembly.
This move, they argued, would protect Nigerians from the misuse of the justice system and safeguard the fundamental right to freedom of expression, a cornerstone of any democratic society.
The groups emphasised that public officials, due to their positions, must tolerate a higher degree of criticism.
In their letter, SERAP and Amnesty International reminded the president of his own words from his inaugural speech and a Democracy Day address, where he vowed to protect free speech.
In one memorable quote, the president stated, "No one should bear the brunt of injustice for merely writing a bad report about me or calling me names. I will still call upon democracy to defend your right to do so."
The organisations believe the current charges contradict this commitment.
The letter also delved into the specifics of the Cybercrime (Amendment) Act 2024.
While it repealed an earlier section, the groups expressed concern that its new provisions are still arbitrary, vague, and repressive, with an unclear definition of what constitutes ccausing a breakdown of law and order.
They pointed at a 2022 judgment by the ECOWAS Court of Justice, which ordered Nigerian authorities to stop using a previous version of the law to prosecute individuals for insulting or stalking public officials.
The groups concluded by referencing a UN Human Rights Committee statement which clarifies that "the mere fact that forms of expression are considered to be insulting to a public figure is not sufficient to justify the imposition of penalties."
They gave the Tinubu administration a 7-day ultimatum to act, threatening further legal action before the ECOWAS Court of Justice if the charges are not withdrawn.
#FreeSpeech #HumanRights #Nigeria #SERAP #AmnestyInternational #SLAPP #Sowore
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