Abuja: The Federal High Court in Abuja, on Wednesday, rejected two documents tendered by Omoyele Sowore, publisher of Sahara Reporters, in his ongoing trial over alleged defamatory remarks against President Bola Tinubu.
Justice Mohammed Umar, in a ruling, declined an oral application by Sowore’s lawyer, Marshall Abubakar, seeking an order admitting a set of documents, comprising print‑outs of publications in evidence.
Sowore is being prosecuted by the Department of State Services (DSS) for allegedly making false claims against the President by referring to him as “a criminal” in a post he made on his X and Facebook accounts.
The publications included media reports about DSS’s dismissal of 115 officials for misconduct; the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) charging five ex‑governors with corruption; EFCC’s sacking of 27 officials over fraud and misconduct; and EFCC’s arrest of some ex‑staff of the NNPCL over ₦7.2 billion fraud.
Justice Umar agreed with DSS lawyer Akinlolu Kehinde, SAN, that the best opportunity for the defendant to tender the documents is during the conduct of his defence.
The judge held that since the first prosecution witness (PW‑1), being cross‑examined by Abubakar, said he knew nothing about the publications contained in the documents, such documents could not be tendered through the witness.
“You cannot tender a document through a witness who said he did not know anything about it. The document is hereby marked as rejected,” Justice Umar said.
In a second ruling, the judge rejected another set of documents comprising printouts of publications Abubakar claimed showed that President Tinubu allegedly called former President Goodluck Jonathan “a drunkard and sinking fisherman,” and former President Olusegun Obasanjo “an expired meat.” The judge marked the documents rejected for the same reason.
Justice Umar frowned at a report by the prosecuting lawyer that a member of the defence team had live‑streamed previous proceedings in the case and urged the court to order an investigation to identify the person behind it.
Although Abubakar denied that any member of the defence team was involved and claimed it could have been carried out by the DSS or by people in the presidency, the judge said such conduct amounted to contempt of court.
Abubakar urged the court to caution only against a repeat of such an incident, and to decline the prosecuting lawyer’s request that an investigation be ordered.
Justice Umar said it was easy to identify the person behind the incident and that he could direct security agencies to investigate the issue because it was a serious matter. Although he promised to address the issue at the end of the day’s proceedings, he remained silent on it when adjourning the case.
While being cross‑examined, the second prosecution witness (PW‑2), DSS official Cyril Nosike, said that at the time Sowore made the post in respect of which he is being prosecuted, the President’s official X handle was @officialABAT.
The witness rejected Abubakar’s suggestion that the President’s official X handle is @PBAT. Nosike said he did not tender any court judgment before the court to show that corruption had ended in Nigeria.
On whether there is corruption in Nigeria, the witness said he was not a politician and could not comment on such an issue. He added that the defence lawyer was merely asking for his opinion, saying: “I am not here to give an opinion, but to state the facts.”
Nosike faulted Abubakar’s claim that the DSS dismissed 115 of its officials for corruption, explaining that they were dismissed after an internal investigation and not because of corruption.
The witness denied knowing that in 2025, the EFCC charged five ex‑governors to court for corruption; that the EFCC arrested ex‑staff of the NNPCL over ₦7.2 billion fraud; and that the EFCC dismissed 27 of its officers for fraud and misconduct.
On whether, as a security officer, he was aware of the global corruption ranking, Nosike said he was not aware of the global corruption ranking, nor of the Transparency International corruption index. He equally said he was not aware that Nigeria is ranked 140 among the 180 countries captured in the global corruption index.
Nosike said he did not know that, as of 2011, the current President was a major opposition figure in the country, nor that he allegedly called then ex‑President Jonathan corrupt and shameless. He also said he was not aware that the President called Jonathan a drunkard and a sinking fisherman.
On whether he knows former President Olusegun Obasanjo, the witness responded in the affirmative but said he was unaware that the President called Obasanjo an expired meat. He added that he would be surprised if shown documents where Tinubu allegedly made such comments about the two former presidents.
When asked if he had heard of Femi Fani‑Kayode, now an ambassador‑designate, Nosike said yes, but added that he could not recall that Fani‑Kayode was a vocal critic of the President before his nomination.
Nosike denied knowledge of Abubakar’s claim that Fani‑Kayode made a post on social media alleging that the President knew something about the death of Funso Williams, a governorship candidate in Lagos State. He said he was not aware that the DSS screened Fani‑Kayode as an ambassador‑designate because that did not form part of his schedule.
Nosike said he could not recall that Funso Williams was murdered in Lagos while the President was governor of the state.
He admitted knowing Chief Reno Omokri and confirmed that Omokri is an ambassador‑designate, appointed by the government. But he said he was not aware of Omokri’s social media post claiming that the President knew about the murder of Funso Williams.
He added that he had not come across videos of Omokri alleging the President’s involvement in the murder. Nosike said he was not aware that Omokri staged a protest against the President in London, claiming involvement in drug trafficking and the Funso Williams case.
After spending one hour and 40 minutes on the cross‑examination of PW‑1, Justice Umar asked Abubakar when he was going to conclude with the witness, having cross‑examined him for two days.
Abubakar prayed the court for one more day, claiming he had more important questions and documents to confront the witness with.
Responding, Kehinde recalled that Abubakar had, on the last date, sought an additional one hour to conclude, but had spent one hour and 40 minutes and yet claimed he was not done.
Kehinde said he would prefer to allow the judge decide whether or not to grant the adjournment being sought by the defence.
Ruling, Justice Umar observed that the defence had spent the second day cross‑examining PW‑1. He added that although on the last date Abubakar sought one hour, he had spent one hour and 40 minutes and had again asked for an additional date.
He, however, granted the adjournment sought by the defence, saying: “In the spirit of fairness, I will adjourn for the last time for cross‑examination.”
Justice Umar consequently adjourned the matter until March 5 for further cross‑examination of PW‑1.Abuja: The Federal High Court in Abuja, on Wednesday, rejected two documents tendered by Omoyele Sowore, publisher of Sahara Reporters, in his ongoing trial over alleged defamatory remarks against President Bola Tinubu.
Justice Mohammed Umar, in a ruling, declined an oral application by Sowore’s lawyer, Marshall Abubakar, seeking an order admitting a set of documents, comprising print‑outs of publications in evidence.
Sowore is being prosecuted by the Department of State Services (DSS) for allegedly making false claims against the President by referring to him as “a criminal” in a post he made on his X and Facebook accounts.
The publications included media reports about DSS’s dismissal of 115 officials for misconduct; the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) charging five ex‑governors with corruption; EFCC’s sacking of 27 officials over fraud and misconduct; and EFCC’s arrest of some ex‑staff of the NNPCL over ₦7.2 billion fraud.
Justice Umar agreed with DSS lawyer Akinlolu Kehinde, SAN, that the best opportunity for the defendant to tender the documents is during the conduct of his defence.
The judge held that since the first prosecution witness (PW‑1), being cross‑examined by Abubakar, said he knew nothing about the publications contained in the documents, such documents could not be tendered through the witness.
“You cannot tender a document through a witness who said he did not know anything about it. The document is hereby marked as rejected,” Justice Umar said.
In a second ruling, the judge rejected another set of documents comprising printouts of publications Abubakar claimed showed that President Tinubu allegedly called former President Goodluck Jonathan “a drunkard and sinking fisherman,” and former President Olusegun Obasanjo “an expired meat.” The judge marked the documents rejected for the same reason.
Justice Umar frowned at a report by the prosecuting lawyer that a member of the defence team had live‑streamed previous proceedings in the case and urged the court to order an investigation to identify the person behind it.
Although Abubakar denied that any member of the defence team was involved and claimed it could have been carried out by the DSS or by people in the presidency, the judge said such conduct amounted to contempt of court.
Abubakar urged the court to caution only against a repeat of such an incident, and to decline the prosecuting lawyer’s request that an investigation be ordered.
Justice Umar said it was easy to identify the person behind the incident and that he could direct security agencies to investigate the issue because it was a serious matter. Although he promised to address the issue at the end of the day’s proceedings, he remained silent on it when adjourning the case.
While being cross‑examined, the second prosecution witness (PW‑2), DSS official Cyril Nosike, said that at the time Sowore made the post in respect of which he is being prosecuted, the President’s official X handle was @officialABAT.
The witness rejected Abubakar’s suggestion that the President’s official X handle is @PBAT. Nosike said he did not tender any court judgment before the court to show that corruption had ended in Nigeria.
On whether there is corruption in Nigeria, the witness said he was not a politician and could not comment on such an issue. He added that the defence lawyer was merely asking for his opinion, saying: “I am not here to give an opinion, but to state the facts.”
Nosike faulted Abubakar’s claim that the DSS dismissed 115 of its officials for corruption, explaining that they were dismissed after an internal investigation and not because of corruption.
The witness denied knowing that in 2025, the EFCC charged five ex‑governors to court for corruption; that the EFCC arrested ex‑staff of the NNPCL over ₦7.2 billion fraud; and that the EFCC dismissed 27 of its officers for fraud and misconduct.
On whether, as a security officer, he was aware of the global corruption ranking, Nosike said he was not aware of the global corruption ranking, nor of the Transparency International corruption index. He equally said he was not aware that Nigeria is ranked 140 among the 180 countries captured in the global corruption index.
Nosike said he did not know that, as of 2011, the current President was a major opposition figure in the country, nor that he allegedly called then ex‑President Jonathan corrupt and shameless. He also said he was not aware that the President called Jonathan a drunkard and a sinking fisherman.
On whether he knows former President Olusegun Obasanjo, the witness responded in the affirmative but said he was unaware that the President called Obasanjo an expired meat. He added that he would be surprised if shown documents where Tinubu allegedly made such comments about the two former presidents.
When asked if he had heard of Femi Fani‑Kayode, now an ambassador‑designate, Nosike said yes, but added that he could not recall that Fani‑Kayode was a vocal critic of the President before his nomination.
Nosike denied knowledge of Abubakar’s claim that Fani‑Kayode made a post on social media alleging that the President knew something about the death of Funso Williams, a governorship candidate in Lagos State. He said he was not aware that the DSS screened Fani‑Kayode as an ambassador‑designate because that did not form part of his schedule.
Nosike said he could not recall that Funso Williams was murdered in Lagos while the President was governor of the state.
He admitted knowing Chief Reno Omokri and confirmed that Omokri is an ambassador‑designate, appointed by the government. But he said he was not aware of Omokri’s social media post claiming that the President knew about the murder of Funso Williams.
He added that he had not come across videos of Omokri alleging the President’s involvement in the murder. Nosike said he was not aware that Omokri staged a protest against the President in London, claiming involvement in drug trafficking and the Funso Williams case.
After spending one hour and 40 minutes on the cross‑examination of PW‑1, Justice Umar asked Abubakar when he was going to conclude with the witness, having cross‑examined him for two days.
Abubakar prayed the court for one more day, claiming he had more important questions and documents to confront the witness with.
Responding, Kehinde recalled that Abubakar had, on the last date, sought an additional one hour to conclude, but had spent one hour and 40 minutes and yet claimed he was not done.
Kehinde said he would prefer to allow the judge decide whether or not to grant the adjournment being sought by the defence.
Ruling, Justice Umar observed that the defence had spent the second day cross‑examining PW‑1. He added that although on the last date Abubakar sought one hour, he had spent one hour and 40 minutes and had again asked for an additional date.
He, however, granted the adjournment sought by the defence, saying: “In the spirit of fairness, I will adjourn for the last time for cross‑examination.”
Justice Umar consequently adjourned the matter until March 5 for further cross‑examination of PW‑1.
