The Department of State Services (DSS) has reportedly moved to temporarily suspend its cyber-bullying case against African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, in a development that could remove a major legal distraction from his preparations for the 2027 presidential election.
The secret police is said to have directed its counsel, Akinolu Kehinde, to approach the Federal High Court with an application seeking to put the proceedings on hold until after the election.
The proposed suspension would allow Sowore, who is expected to participate in the 2027 presidential contest, to devote himself fully to electioneering activities without the pending court proceedings potentially interfering with his campaign.
The development reportedly followed a meeting involving DSS Director-General, Tosin Ajayi, the senior lawyer handling the case and officials of the agency’s legal directorate.
The meeting was held on August 20, shortly after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) lifted the restriction on presidential campaign activities, effectively opening the way for candidates and political parties to intensify their preparations for the 2027 election.
A source familiar with the discussions told The Nation that the DSS leadership had directed its legal team to examine the possibility of temporarily halting the proceedings because of the approaching presidential election.
“The DSS boss reportedly told the Senior Advocate and his directorate of legal services that, with the commencement of presidential campaigns, it would only be fair to pause the court case in order to enable Sowore fully participate in the upcoming elections without let or hindrance.
“The DSS boss told the lawyers that, since the matter had been in court for nearly a year, suspending it for another four months wouldn’t make much difference,” the source stated
The reported move represents a significant shift in the handling of a case that has attracted considerable attention because of the political profile of the defendant and the nature of the allegations surrounding his social media activities.
The legal dispute dates back to August 2025, when Sowore published a series of comments on social media concerning President Bola Tinubu.
On August 25, 2025, the AAC presidential candidate made posts on his 𝕏 account and Facebook page in which he described President Tinubu as a “criminal.”
The posts subsequently drew the attention of the DSS, which demanded their removal and gave Sowore seven days to comply with the directive.
Sowore did not withdraw the posts within the period stipulated by the agency. Rather than immediately arresting or inviting the opposition politician for questioning, the DSS opted to take the matter before the Federal High Court.
On September 16, 2025, the agency filed the case seeking judicial interpretation of the issues arising from Sowore’s publications and the limits of its responsibilities in responding to such statements. The DSS argued that its intervention was connected to its statutory responsibility to protect the President.
The agency subsequently expanded its position in correspondence with Meta Corporation, the parent company of Facebook. In a letter dated September 6, 2025, the DSS maintained that its protective responsibilities extended beyond preventing physical attacks against the President. The service argued that its mandate also covered protection against what it described as psychological attacks, placing the Sowore matter within the broader scope of its interpretation of presidential protection. The agency also drew a comparison between the Sowore case and its earlier legal action relating to Pat Utomi’s “Shadow Government.”
According to the DSS, both matters raised complex questions requiring judicial clarification, rather than simply being treated as conventional criminal investigations.
The reported decision to seek a temporary suspension comes as political parties and presidential contenders begin preparations for what is expected to be a fiercely contested 2027 election.
For Sowore, the timing is particularly significant. As an active presidential aspirant, his ability to travel, campaign, engage supporters and participate in political activities could become increasingly important as the election draws closer. A suspension of the proceedings would not amount to an acquittal, dismissal or final resolution of the case. Instead, it would temporarily pause the court process, with the matter potentially resuming after the election. The reported position of the DSS leadership appears to be that allowing the proceedings to continue during the peak of the presidential campaign could unnecessarily complicate Sowore’s participation in the electoral process.
With the case having already remained before the court for almost a year, the agency is reportedly of the view that a further temporary delay would not materially affect the proceedings.
The development is therefore likely to attract attention across Nigeria’s political and legal landscape, particularly given Sowore’s longstanding criticism of the Federal Government and his position as one of the opposition figures seeking to challenge the political establishment at the 2027 presidential election.
For now, the final decision rests with the Federal High Court, which will have to consider any formal application brought by the DSS before determining whether the proceedings should indeed be suspended.
