DSS Considers Suspending Suit Against Sowore Till After 2027 Election

The Department of State Services (DSS) has opted to temporarily step back from its cyber-bullying case against the African Action Congress presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, as the secret police moves to suspend the proceedings until after the 2027 presidential election.

The service has instructed its counsel, Akinolu Kehinde (SAN), to approach the Federal High Court with a request to put the case on hold, according to sources familiar with the development.

The proposed suspension is expected to allow Sowore, who is one of the candidates seeking the presidency, to participate fully in the electioneering campaign without the pending case becoming a hindrance.

The decision followed a meeting between the Director-General of the DSS, Tosin Ajayi, the senior lawyer handling the case and officials of the service’s legal directorate.

The meeting was held on August 20, a day after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) lifted the ban on presidential campaign activities.

A source familiar with the discussions, who spoke with The Nation, said the DSS boss directed the legal team to consider a temporary halt to the proceedings in view of the approaching election.

The source stated, “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 legal battle arose from comments Sowore made on social media in August 2025.

On August 25 of that year, the AAC candidate published posts on his 𝕏 account and Facebook page in which he described President Bola Tinubu as a “criminal”.

The DSS subsequently demanded that the posts be removed, giving Sowore seven days to comply. Sowore did not withdraw the posts within the stipulated period.

Rather than arresting or inviting him, the DSS went before the Federal High Court on September 16, 2025, seeking judicial interpretation of the matter.

The secret police had argued that its action was part of its responsibility to protect the President.

In a letter to the Chairman of Meta Corporation dated September 6, 2025, the DSS stated that its protective responsibilities were not limited to preventing physical attacks against the President.

The service maintained that it was also legally empowered to protect the President against psychological attacks.

The agency further compared the Sowore matter with its earlier court action concerning Professor Pat Utomi’s “Shadow Government”, saying both issues raised questions requiring judicial clarification.