Human rights lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, has written to Meta Platforms Inc., urging the tech giant to ignore a request from Nigeria’s Department of State Services (DSS) seeking the suspension or deactivation of activist Omoyele Sowore’s Facebook account. Effiong described the DSS move as unlawful, politically motivated, and a grave threat to democratic freedoms in Nigeria.
In a strongly worded letter, Effiong argued that the DSS had overstepped its legal mandate by attempting to silence a government critic under the guise of national security. He stressed that President Bola Tinubu, whom the secret police was allegedly protecting, had not initiated any legal action against Sowore, despite being the target of his criticism. According to him, if the President believes his reputation has been defamed, the appropriate course is to approach the courts rather than deploy state security machinery.
The lawyer maintained that Sowore’s posts did not violate Meta’s Community Standards, noting that critical commentary against public figures is protected under both domestic and international laws. He cited Section 39 of Nigeria’s Constitution, Article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, as well as Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, all of which guarantee freedom of expression. He warned that granting the DSS’s request would set a dangerous precedent that could embolden authorities to further stifle dissent.
Effiong further described the DSS’s allegations of “incitement, cybercrime, and hate speech” as unfounded, dismissing them as an attempt to “massage the ego” of the Nigerian President. He said it was the “height of impunity” for an agency created to safeguard national security to be weaponized for political purposes and urged Meta to stand firm in its stated commitment to protecting open debate, even when controversial.
Reiterating Sowore’s right to speak freely as a citizen and political leader, Effiong called on Meta to reject what he termed an “unlawful and draconian demand.” He emphasized that yielding to the DSS would not only undermine the credibility of Meta’s free expression policies but also weaken Nigeria’s democratic journey. He concluded by urging the company to remain steadfast in defending freedom of speech against government pressure.
