Court Dismisses Sowore’s No-Case Submission in Trial Over Calling Tinubu a Criminal

A Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed the no-case submission filed by activist and publisher Omoyele Sowore in his cyberbullying trial, ruling that the prosecution has established enough evidence to warrant his defence. The case stems from statements Sowore made describing President Bola Tinubu as a criminal.

Justice Mohammed Umar delivered the ruling on Friday, May 8. By dismissing the no-case submission, the court is saying that the evidence presented by the prosecution is sufficient — on the face of it — to require Sowore to answer the charges. He has not been convicted of anything. What happens next is that Sowore must now present his defence.

What the Charges Are About

The case against Sowore is rooted in a cyberbullying charge connected to public statements he made in which he referred to Tinubu as a criminal. Sowore, who ran for president in 2019 and 2023, has been a consistent and vocal critic of successive Nigerian governments. He is the publisher of Sahara Reporters, one of Nigeria’s most prominent investigative news platforms.

His legal team filed the no-case submission arguing that the prosecution had not made a sufficient case against him to require a defence. The court disagreed.

The Broader Context

Nigeria has seen a pattern of activists, journalists, and opposition figures facing legal proceedings under laws that critics say are being used to suppress dissent. Sowore himself has been arrested multiple times over the years. His supporters argue that calling a public official a criminal — particularly one with a contested political history — should fall within the bounds of free expression and press freedom.

The trial continues. Sowore will now present his defence before the court rules on the substance of the charges.

Sources: Premium Times, Punch, Channels Television