The battle for free speech in Africa’s most populous nation took another twist today as activist Omoyele Sowore was rearraigned in an Abuja court. His crime? daring to label President Bola Tinubu a "criminal" on social media.

In a significant legal maneuver, the Nigerian Federal Government dropped the charges against tech giants Meta (Facebook) and X (formerly Twitter), leaving Sowore to face the music alone. The "Sahara Reporters" publisher pleaded a defiant "not guilty" to the cyberbullying charges, setting the stage for a high-stakes showdown between the state and the street.

The Big Tech Retreat

The decision to decouple the social media platforms from the case is a tactical retreat by the Tinubu administration. Prosecuting seamless global entities was always a legal long shot, but isolating a local activist? That is a playbook familiar to many African regimes. The message is clear: the platforms are safe, but the users are fair game.

• The Charge: Cyberstalking and causing public disorder.
• The Defense: Sowore argues his posts are protected political speech and acts of accountability.

Echoes of Resistance

Sowore’s tribulation mirrors the struggles of digital activists across the continent, from Nairobi to Kampala, where cybercrime laws are increasingly weaponized to silence dissent. As the gavel fell in Abuja today, it wasn’t just Sowore on trial; it was the right of every African citizen to speak truth to power online.

With the case adjourned, the "RevolutionNow" convener remains the thorn in Tinubu’s side, proving that while you can drop charges against a corporation, you cannot easily delete a movement.