- He argued that the actions of both the DSS and Meta violated his constitutional rights
- Justice Umar noted that such rights are not absolute and may be limited
- He added that expressions deemed defamatory cannot be shielded under constitutional protections
A Federal High Court in Abuja has thrown out a fundamental rights suit filed by politician and publisher Omoyele Sowore against the Department of State Services (DSS), its Director-General, and Meta Platforms.
Delivering judgment on Thursday, Eko Hot Blog gathered that Justice Mohammed Umar ruled against Sowore on all issues raised, stating that the case lacked merit and refusing to grant any of the reliefs sought.
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Sowore had approached the court, alleging that Meta acted on the instruction of the DSS to remove a Facebook post he made and subsequently deactivate his account. The post, published in August 2025, contained remarks critical of President Bola Tinubu.
He argued that the actions of both the DSS and Meta violated his constitutional rights, including fair hearing, freedom of expression, and freedom of association.
However, the court held that the right to fair hearing applies strictly to proceedings before courts or legally established tribunals, and not to decisions taken by non-judicial bodies such as the DSS or Meta.
On the issue of freedom of expression, Justice Umar noted that such rights are not absolute and may be limited, particularly where statements could harm the reputation of others.
He added that expressions deemed defamatory cannot be shielded under constitutional protections.
The court further found that Meta acted independently, relying on its internal policies in taking action against the post and account, rather than acting under direct instruction.
In conclusion, the judge ruled that Sowore failed to prove that his rights were violated or under threat.
The suit was consequently dismissed, with the court awarding a total cost of N1.5 million against him, to be paid to the DSS, its Director-General, and Meta.
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