Sowore’s Trial: Court admits video evidence of Omokri calling Tinubu ‘drug lord’

The trial of an activist and former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, on a cybercrime charge continued on Tuesday, with the Federal High Court in Abuja admitting a video exhibit in evidence.

The video, which was played in the open court, showed a former presidential aide and ambassadorial nominee, Mr Reno Omokri, referring to President Bola Tinubu as a “drug lord.”

Sowore is facing trial for calling President Tinubu a “criminal” in a social media post.

He is answering a two-count amended charge that was preferred against him by the federal government.

The contentious post the defendant made on August 25, 2025, followed President Tinubu’s claim, while on an official visit to Brazil, that his administration had successfully ended corruption in Nigeria.

Irked by Sowore’s reference to President Tinubu as a “criminal,” the Department of State Services (DSS) wrote to two social media platforms, X (formerly Twitter) and Meta Platforms Inc. (Facebook), demanding a ban on the defendant’s account as well as removal of the vexatious statement.

The security agency also wrote a letter to the activist, asking him to delete the post from all the platforms where it was shared.

However, the charge came after both Sowore and the social media platforms refused to accede to the DSS’s request.

According to the prosecution, the purpose of Sowore’s post was to cause a breakdown of law and order in the country, especially among individuals who hold divergent views on President Tinubu’s personality.

It added that the defamatory publication was intended to tarnish the personality and reputation of President Tinubu.

FG alleged that he committed offences contrary to and punishable under Section 24(1) (b) and 24(2) (a), (b), and (c) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) (Amendment) Act, 2024 and punishable under the same section.

Among the exhibits tendered before the court were a printout of Sowore’s posts on X and Facebook, as well as the letters DSS wrote to the two platforms.

The defendant, who was initially docked before the court on December 2, 2025, and later re-arraigned on January 19, pleaded not guilty to the charge against him.

At the resumed proceedings on Tuesday, his lawyer, Mr Marshal Abubakar, tendered video evidence during cross-examination of the first prosecution witness (PW-1), Mr Cyril Nosike, who was identified as an operative of the Department of State Services (DSS).

The defence lawyer further questioned the witness about whether the DSS interviewed President Tinubu or obtained a statement from him regarding the alleged impact of Sowore’s publication on his image.

Answering the question in the negative, the witness admitted he did not record the video of President Tinubu’s speech in Brazil, saying he did not know who did.

The witness said he could not confirm if President Tinubu was aware of Sowore’s social media post.

Among the exhibits the defence lawyer tendered before the court was a flash drive containing several video clips featuring Mr Omokri.

When the videos were played in open court, one clip showed Omokri in a 2023 interview on ARISE News, where he stated he had documentary evidence to support his claim that President Tinubu was a “drug lord.”

Drug lord is not an unprintable name. Bola Tinubu is a known drug lord. I’ve got documents to back it up. I spent my money, went to Chicago, went to court, and got certified true copies. Bola Tinubu is a drug lord,” Omokri was heard saying in the video.

Another clip showed Omokri declaring that he would never work with President Tinubu.

Following the playback, Abubakar asked the DSS witness why Omokiri was cleared for an ambassadorial appointment by the security agency, despite his previous allegations against Tinubu.

The witness told the court that he does not have an answer to the question.

Even though the prosecution counsel, Mr Akinlolu Kehinde, SAN, opposed the admissibility of the exhibits, he was overruled by Justice Mohammed Umar, who admitted them in evidence.

The court fixed February 4 for continuation of the cross-examination.

One of the counts in the charge against the defendant, marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/484/2025, read: “That you, Omoyele Sowore, Adult, Male, on or about the 25th day of August, 2025, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did knowingly or intentionally send a message by means of a computer system or network, to wit: your official “X” (formerly Twitter) handle page, @YeleSowore, wherein you posted the following message/tweet: ‘This criminal @officialABAT actually went fo Brazil to state that there is NO MORE corruption under his regime in Nigeria. What audacity fo lie shamelessly!’ which message you knew to be false and posted for the purpose of causing a breakdown of law and order in Nigeria, posing a threat to life, or causing such message to be sent and thereby committed the offence of Cyberstalking contrary to Section 24(1) (b) and 24(2) (a), (b), and (c) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc.) (Amendment) Act, 2024 and punishable under the same section.”

culled from vanguard