Human rights lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, has petitioned Meta Platforms Inc., urging the tech giant to reject a request by Nigeria’s Department of State Services, DSS, to deactivate the Facebook account of activist Omoyele Sowore.

In the letter addressed to Meta on Monday, Effiong described the DSS demand as unlawful, unconstitutional, and a threat to the right to freedom of expression.

The petition comes after DSS wrote to social media giants, Meta and X incorporated, demanding the deactivation of Sowore’s social media handles.

The State agency had accused the activist of posting ‘unsavoury’ things about the Nigerian President, maligning his character.

However, the lawyer argued that the laws cited by the DSS in its petition were irrelevant and that Sowore’s post did not breach Meta’s Community Standards.

“We enjoin Meta to see the sinister demand by the SSS for what it truly is: an egregious effort to massage the ego of the Nigerian President; an effort predicated on grounds that are legally unfounded in an attempt to undermine Nigeria’s democratic journey and foist tyranny on the country,” he said.

Effiong accused the DSS of acting as though it were representing President Bola Tinubu, stating that the President had not initiated any legal action against Sowore.

He maintained that if Tinubu felt aggrieved by any publication, he should seek redress in court rather than use security agencies to intimidate critics.

The lawyer urged Meta to resist what he called an “egregious effort” by the DSS to undermine Nigeria’s democracy and suppress dissenting voices.

He warned that complying with the agency’s request would set a dangerous precedent and embolden further government clampdowns on free expression.