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DSS orders X to remove Omoyele Sowore’s account over anti-Tinubu post

The Department of State Services (DSS) has demanded that X, formerly known as Twitter, deactivate the account of Omoyele Sowore, publisher and former presidential hopeful, within 24 hours. This action follows a controversial tweet deemed threatening to Nigeria’s national security. Sowore posted a message, on August 25, 2025, at about 11:38 PM local time, criticizing President Bola Tinubu. The secret police flagged the remark for its potential to incite unrest. According to an official letter signed by B. Bamigboye on behalf of the DSS Director-General, the tweet accused the President of dishonesty regarding corruption claims. The message emphasized concerns that the content might provoke violent reactions, particularly from Tinubu’s supporters who had already begun public demonstrations. Government officials argued that the post disrespected the President’s reputation and jeopardized the nation’s image internationally. The petition referenced several sections of Nigerian law, emphasizing that spreading false information and inflammatory statements online is illegal. They cited the Criminal Code Act, the Cyber Crimes Act 2025, and the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022 as relevant legal frameworks that criminalize such behaviour and hold both the author and the hosting platform accountable. Despite the seriousness of the allegations, Sowore had yet to respond to the government’s request by the time this report was published. The DSS stressed that failure to comply could lead to comprehensive enforcement actions to uphold security and public order. This development raises eyebrows about freedom of expression and the limits of online speech in Nigeria’s digital landscape.

Edo State e-hailing drivers reject FG’s 5% fuel levy, demand reconsideration

Oil & Gas, Top Stories

Edo State’s e-hailing community, represented by the Amalgamated Union of App-based Transporters of Nigeria (AUATON), has openly opposed the Federal Government’s planned 5% tax on petroleum products like petrol and diesel. The drivers warn this additional cost will worsen their already strained finances. The union’s chairman, Comrade Russell Eghaghe, described the government’s decision to impose this charge as troubling and unfair, especially given the steady rise in fuel costs over the years. He emphasized that applying a new charge on top of already inflated prices only adds to the financial hardship faced by drivers who rely heavily on fuel for their livelihood. This new taxation measure is part of the Nigeria Tax Administrative Act, signed into law by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in June 2023. While intended to enhance government revenue and ensure fiscal sustainability, it has raised discontent among those most affected, notably transport workers in the informal economy. Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, Taiwo Oyedele, explained that the finances generated from this policy will be funneled back into improving the country’s transport infrastructure. He stressed that this reinvestment is aimed at lowering overall transportation expenses and curbing inflationary pressures across Nigeria. However, AUATON remains unconvinced by these assurances. According to Comrade Eghaghe, the continuous rise in living costs, compounded by the lack of regulatory oversight on goods and service pricing, places severe pressure on drivers’ earnings. He called for a collective stand among transporters to oppose the measure, urging unity and active engagement to challenge policies harmful to their welfare. The government has clarified that the enforcement date for the tax remains undecided, pending an official announcement from Finance Minister Wale Edun. This dispels earlier rumors suggesting the fee would start in January 2026. In the meantime, several Nigerians, including business groups and political figures, have voiced their concern. The Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) warned that the charge might force some outlets to shut down operations. Peter Obi, the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, criticized the policy for abandoning earlier promises of subsidies on Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), ultimately increasing the burden on citizens. According to Peter Obi instead of the policies to alleviate hardship, it intensifies it and that the subsidies once promised have vanished, leaving Nigerians to shoulder even more expense. For now, transport workers and allied groups are mobilizing to express their opposition, hoping to influence policymakers to reconsider or adjust the plan in favor of vulnerable citizens.

Meta advances its Africa’s digital capacity with new data centres and subseacable in Nigeria

Africa, Top Stories

‎Meta is expanding its Africa’s internet infrastructure with new data centres and the 2Africa subsea cable landing in Nigeria, aiming to improve connectivity and support the continent’s growing online population.‎‎At the launch of Digital Realty’s third Lagos data centre (LKK2) in Lekki, Meta’s Edge Strategy Manager, Ben Ryall, stressed the importance of reliable internet access for economic growth, financial inclusion, and social development. LKK2 adds nearly 2MW of IT capacity and connects directly to the LKK1 data centre, which hosts the 2Africa cable landing station.‎‎The 2Africa cable, the world’s largest subsea cable at 45,000 km, connects 33 countries with 46 landing points across Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. In Nigeria, the cable lands in Lagos and Kwa Ibo, helping reduce reliance on single cable systems and increasing internet capacity and resilience.‎‎According to Ryall, Meta’s infrastructure investments will help Africans enjoy internet quality comparable to developed countries. With Africa’s population expected to reach 2.1 billion by 2050, these improvements are key to supporting digital services like online education, telemedicine, e-commerce, and mobile money.‎‎Digital Realty’s Managing Director in Nigeria, Ikechukwu Nnamani, said the LKK2 launch marks a step forward for Nigeria’s digital transformation by providing reliable, high-performance infrastructure. This new data centre integrates with global platforms to offer low-latency connectivity and seamless interconnection for businesses.‎‎Meta also plans to expand digital infrastructure in other African markets like Ghana and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The combined efforts in subsea cables and data centres aim to build sustainable, open, and resilient internet infrastructure, unlocking new economic opportunities in Africa.‎‎

Nigerian activist Sowore calls on citizens to use AI technology against Police brutality

AI, Top Stories

Human rights advocate Omoyele Sowore has urged Nigerians to equip themselves with digital tools like AI-powered glasses and body cameras to expose police misconduct and combat systemic abuse. His appeal follows a recent incident in Lagos where a man was harassed by police simply for wearing glasses. Sowore recounted how, in January 2025, he used his Ray-Ban Meta AI glasses to record a notorious police extortion team near Lagos’s Murtala Muhammed International Airport. Rather than disciplining the corrupt officers, the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, ordered Sowore’s arrest, charging him with cybercrime for allegedly filming the misconduct. During the Federal High Court trial, Sowore’s passport was seized, and his medically prescribed AI glasses became a contentious issue. At the Nigeria Police Force Headquarters protest in Abuja, his glasses were forcibly taken by police operatives, which was captured on video, and though later returned. Sowore accused Nigeria’s political elites of fearing technological advancements, citing Senate Chief Whip Opeyemi Bamidele’s description of social media as a “national threat”. He argued that this fear fuels the government’s opposition to digital resistance efforts, which have become their most formidable challenge. The activist also praised a Lagos motorist whose brave recording of police harassment has become a symbol of rising citizen defiance against corruption. In January 2025, I utilized my Ray-Ban Meta AI glasses to confront a police extortion gang on a busy Lagos road…instead of punishing these officers, the illegal IGP Kayode Egbetokun ordered my arrest and charged me with cybercrime simply for exposing their corruption. The court proceedings included seizing my passport and questioning my medicated AI glasses, which was unprecedented. I commend the bravery of the Lagos motorist who stood up to corrupt officers; his courage is immortalized on video. I urge every Nigerian to equip themselves with AI glasses, body cams, and other digital devices to reveal brutality and prevent cover-ups. The era of darkness and impunity is ending. Technology is our witness, and our resistance must be AI-powered to defeat the old order The growing digital resistance signifies a new chapter in Nigeria’s fight for justice and transparency, with technology playing a crucial role in ensuring that abuses no longer go unseen or unpunished.

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