• Activist and publisher of Sahara Reporters, Omoyele Sowore

The Federal Government through the Department of State Services (DSS), has removed social media platforms X and Facebook from the list of defendants in its Cyberbullying case with the ‎‎activist and publisher of Sahara Reporters, Omoyele Sowore, leaving Sowore as the sole defendant

In the case adjourned until 22 January for the commencement of trial, ‎‎Sowore has pleaded not guilty to the amended charges of cyberbullying Nigeria’s President, Bola Tinubu, by referring to him as a “criminal” on X and Facebook.‎‎

At the resumed hearing of the case at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday, counsel for the government, Akinlolu Kehinde, SAN, informed Justice Mohammed Umar of the two-count amended charge.‎‎

While government counsel expressed readiness to commence trial, with a witness present in court, defense counsel Abubakar Marshal opposed the move.

Marshal argued that the witness information and sworn statement were not attached to the charge.

He cited Section 36(6) of the Nigerian Constitution, which requires that witness depositions and names be frontloaded with the charges.‎‎

Countering this position, Kehinde SAN maintained that it would not serve the interest of fair hearing to adjourn the matter, noting that previous adjournments had been at the instance of the defendant.

He further argued that since the case is criminal rather than civil, only the list of witnesses and exhibits is required to be filed.‎‎

Justice Mohammed Umar, in his ruling, directed the prosecution to provide all relevant documents to the defense team.

In the charge sheet, the prosecution alleges that Sowore knowingly and intentionally disseminated false messages through his official X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook accounts.

In one post, he wrote:‎‎“This criminal @officialABAT actually went to Brazil to state that there is NO MORE corruption under his regime in Nigeria. What audacity to lie shamelessly!”‎‎

The prosecution contends that by referring to the Nigerian President as a “criminal,” Sowore published a false statement intended to cause a breakdown of law and order, thereby posing a threat to life.‎‎

The charges carry a penalty of a minimum fine of Fifteen Million Naira (₦15,000,000.00) or imprisonment for a term of five years.

Prominent Nigerian film scholar and cultural activist Dr. Pedro Agbonifo Obaseki has announced his decision to pursue legal action following a violent public abduction, assault, stripping, and unlawful detention he suffered in Benin City on Sunday, December 28, 2025.

In a strongly worded press statement released today, Dr. Obaseki described the incident as a “brutal public abduction” in which armed individuals forcibly took him, violently assaulted him, stripped him naked, threatened his life, and paraded him through major roads in broad daylight while recording and livestreaming the ordeal to deliberately humiliate him and instil fear in the public.

He was subsequently detained for several hours despite sustaining injuries, with no formal allegation or lawful charge disclosed. Dr. Obaseki stated that the perpetrators claimed to be acting on the instructions of the Oba of Benin or the Oba’s Palace.

However, he noted that the Benin Traditional Council has categorically denied any involvement, authorisation, or prior knowledge of the acts in a widely publicised formal letter, a position he has accepted and welcomed as part of the official record.

After extensive consultations with his family, clan, senior legal advisers, and respected elders, Dr. Obaseki said he has chosen to seek justice through lawful and constitutional means—not out of malice or political motives, but to ensure accountability, deterrence, and the protection of human dignity.

He emphasised that remaining silent in the face of such grave violations would amount to complicity and expose other citizens to similar abuses.

Dr. Obaseki has engaged leading human rights lawyer Mr. Femi Falana, SAN, as lead counsel to pursue appropriate civil and criminal proceedings against the individual perpetrators and any persons found to have aided, facilitated, or enabled the offences through due process.

In light of the severity of the incident and its broader public interest implications, he has also formally notified and is engaging international human rights bodies and partners to ensure independent oversight, transparency, and monitoring of the investigative and judicial processes.

“This action is taken not only to restore the dignity of an innocent citizen and protect his family, but also to deter future occurrences and to affirm that no individual or group may abduct, brutalise, or publicly dehumanise another outside the law,” Dr. Obaseki stated.

Out of respect for ongoing investigations and judicial proceedings, he said no further factual or evidentiary commentary would be made at this time.

A devastating road accident on the busy Jimgbe–Ajaokuta–Lokoja highway claimed the life of a middle-aged mechanic on Sunday afternoon, while two other individuals sustained serious injuries.

The crash occurred around 1:30 p.m when a truck loaded with stones suffered a sudden mechanical failure and veered off course, slamming into another truck parked by the roadside.

The deceased, identified simply as Ayuba, was a mechanic actively repairing the parked truck at the time of the impact. Eyewitnesses described how the moving truck rammed directly into the stationary vehicle, trapping victims in the wreckage.

FRSC officers, assisted by good Samaritan motorists, worked frantically to extricate those trapped and provide immediate assistance at the scene.

The two injured victims were promptly evacuated to a nearby hospital for urgent medical treatment.

Traffic along the critical route was temporarily disrupted but has since returned to normal following the removal of the wreckage.

The incident serves as yet another stark reminder of the persistent road safety challenges on Nigerian highways, including mechanical failures, improper parking, and the risks faced by roadside workers.

Authorities continue to urge drivers to ensure regular vehicle maintenance and adherence to safety protocols to prevent such tragedies.

Investigations into the exact cause of the mechanical fault are ongoing.