Court to rule on whether SSS chief must testify in Sowore trial

A Federal High Court in Abuja has adjourned until October 6 to rule on whether State Security Service Director General Tosin Ajayi must personally testify in Omoyele Sowore’s cyberbullying trial. Sowore, publisher of Sahara Reporters and African Action Congress presidential candidate for 2027, is being prosecuted over social-media posts in which he referred to President Bola Tinubu as a criminal. The defence wants Ajayi to appear in connection with a letter dated September 7, 2025, asking Sowore to retract the posts.

Defence lawyer Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika argued that an SSS official who previously testified could not adequately answer questions about the letter because he repeatedly said he had acted on Ajayi’s instructions. The prosecution opposed the request. Lawyer Akinlolu Kehinde cited a Supreme Court decision, Ishaq v Soniyi, and argued that a subpoena to a named official could be answered by another competent officer.

Kehinde said Ajayi had no personal interest in the case and had acted in an official capacity. He also argued that it would be impractical for the SSS director general to attend every case involving the agency in different divisions of the Federal High Court. The prosecution said an SSS official had been designated to represent the director general and was available to testify.

It added that the prosecution had closed its case in March 2026. Sowore accused the administration of using the trial to restrict his political campaigning before the 2027 election. He said the proceedings would not stop him from mobilising supporters and announced plans for a “One Million Man March” in Lagos.

The trial resumed after the SSS reversed an earlier decision to pause proceedings until after the elections.