Mr Sowore, Facebook and X were charged jointly in a case filed on Tuesday at the Federal High Court in Abuja.

The Nigerian government has charged Sahara Reporters publisher and activist Omoyele Sowore alongside Facebook and X owners with cybercrimes over Mr Sowore's recent posts describing President Bola Tinubu as a criminal.

The trio were charged jointly with five counts of cybercrimes at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday.

Follow us on WhatsApp | LinkedIn for the latest headlines

It came about a week after the State Security Service (SSS), Nigeria's secret police, threatened both X Incorp and Meta (Facebook) Incorp to delete Mr Sowore's posts and deactivate his account or face the consequences.

SSS, which has a history of arresting and instigating the prosecution of Mr Sowore over his public views, also warned the activist to delete his latest social media posts calling Mr Tinubu a criminal.

Mr Sowore wrote to both X Incorp and Meta Incorp to defend his post, informing them that the call by the SSS was the latest in a series of harassments, rights violations, mistreatments he has received from the government over his public views and civic actions.

He also replied to the SSS, insisting he would not delete the posts.

Mr Sowore shared copies of the charges via his social media accounts on Tuesday.

He wrote, "The State Security Service, alias @OfficialDSSNG today filed a 5-count charge at the Federal High Court in Abuja against 'X' (formerly Twitter Facebook, and myself. They claimed that because I called Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu a criminal, I have somehow committed a set of "novel" offences they invented and spread across five counts.

"It's hard to believe there's anyone sensible left in these offices that should be making Nigeria work. Regardless, I will be present whenever this case is assigned for trial. #RevolutionNow."

....More details later.