Sahara Reporters publisher, and ex-AAC presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore facing a criminal charge on alleged cyberstalking, has tendered in court a video of Reno Omokri, an ambassador designate, calling Tinubu ‘international drug baron’.
Sowore is standing trial for allegedly cyberstalking President Tinubu and calling him a “criminal,” in a case brought by the Department of State Services (DSS).
At the hearing before Justice Mohammed Umar on Tuesday, Sowore presented a video in which former presidential aide Reno Omokri referred to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as an “international drug baron.”
Sowore is standing trial for allegedly cyberstalking President Tinubu and calling him a “criminal,” in a case brought by the Department of State Services (DSS).
Defence counsel Abubakar Marshal commenced cross-examination of the prosecution’s first witness, Cyril Nosike (PW1), a DSS operative.
During the cross-examination, Marshal questioned the witness on whether the DSS, as part of its statutory duties, conducts security and background checks on individuals nominated for sensitive positions such as ambassadors, ministers, and judges. Nosike responded that he was not aware if the service carried out such assignments.
The witness was further asked why the DSS cleared Reno Omokri for an ambassadorial nomination despite calling President Tinubu an “international drug baron,” Nosike stated that he could not explain the reason for Omokri’s clearance.
Nosike also surprised the court when questioned about a public statement made by President Tinubu, in which the President said he would protect the constitutional right of any Nigerian to insult, abuse, or call him names.
When asked whether he was aware of such a statement, the witness offered no definitive response.
Marshal then queried why the DSS proceeded to file charges against Sowore if the President had publicly committed to protecting free speech rights under the Constitution.
Following this, the defence sought the court’s permission to tender two video clips as evidence: one showing Omokri’s “international drug baron” comment, and the other showing President Tinubu affirming the public’s right to freely criticize him.
Akinlolu Kehinde, SAN, counsel for the DSS, objected to the move, arguing that the defence was “playing to the gallery” and that tendering the videos were unnecessary.
He further opposed the admissibility of the video evidence on the grounds that the individual who produced the videos was not listed as a witness and therefore could not tender them in court. He urged the court to reject the evidence.
Justice Umar, after briefly examining the relevance of the materials in line with the Evidence Act 2023 admitted the video clips as exhibits.
The case was adjourned to February 4, 2026, for continuation of cross-examination.