Aisha Yesufu challenges DSS over Sowore’s case

Human Rights activist and member of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, Aisha Yesufu, has challenged the Department of State Services, DSS, over its role in the prosecution of activist Omoyele Sowore, questioning why the agency became involved in a case linked to comments made about President Bola Tinubu.

Yesufu spoke while reacting to a statement issued by the DSS regarding Sowore’s prosecution and remand.

The DSS in the statement said it filed charges against Sowore under the Cybercrimes Prohibition, Prevention, Amendment Act, 2024, over a social media post in which he allegedly referred to President Bola Tinubu as “this criminal”.

Reacting to the development, Yesufu questioned why the security agency became involved in the matter, arguing that any grievance arising from the statement should be pursued personally by the President through legal channels.

“Mr Sowore from this your statement said ‘this criminal’; in what way is it any of your business as an agency?” she asked.

She further maintained that if President Tinubu considered the statement false or defamatory, he should seek redress in court himself rather than involving the DSS.

Yesufu added, “If Mr Tinubu is not a criminal, why would that bother him to the extent of involving your agency? Why would that even trigger him?

“If Mr Tinubu feels it is not a truthful representation of who he is, why wouldn’t he go to court and sue? What is your business in all of this?”

She also criticized the agency’s focus on the matter amid the country’s security challenges.

“The territorial integrity of Nigeria is under threat. Lives and properties are no longer safe in Nigeria and all that you focus on is that a citizen of Nigeria referred to Mr Tinubu as ‘this criminal’?”

In the statement that prompted the reaction, the DSS maintained that Sowore’s remand was the outcome of court proceedings and insisted that the agency neither arrested him nor opposed his bail.

The agency also stated that it had filed charges seeking judicial interpretation of whether Sowore had the right to allegedly disparage and cyberbully the President through his social media posts.