Human rights activist and publisher, Omoyele Sowore, has said he will not delete a controversial post about President Bola Tinubu despite a request from the Department of State Services (DSS) to X (formerly Twitter) for its removal.
Sowore disclosed in a statement on Sunday that X contacted him on Saturday regarding what he described as a “despicable threat letter” from the DSS over his recent tweet. He insisted he would not comply with the agency’s demand.
“This morning, X (formerly Twitter) officially contacted me about the despicable threat letter they received from the lawless DSS over my Tweet on Tinubu. One option I will NOT be taking is deleting that Tweet,” he wrote.
An email from X confirmed that the platform had received a request from the DSS alleging that Sowore’s post violated Nigerian laws. The company, however, noted that no action had been taken against the content as of the time of notification.
X explained that it notifies users whenever it receives legal requests from government agencies to remove content and advised Sowore that he could review the complaint and seek legal advice if necessary.
The DSS has not issued a public statement on the matter. Sowore’s refusal to delete the tweet is expected to heighten tensions between the activist and the federal government, which he has frequently criticised.
