(DDM) – Human rights activist and Sahara Reporters publisher, Omoyele Sowore, has accused Nigeria’s Department of State Services (DSS) of plotting to assassinate him.
Diaspora Digital Media (DDM) gathered that Sowore made the explosive allegation in a post on X, claiming that DSS Director-General Adeola Ajayi had declared a “war” against him.
He alleged that the hostility intensified after he branded President Bola Tinubu a “criminal” during recent public engagements.
According to Sowore, Sahara Reporters’ investigative story on a DSS recruitment examination that allegedly led to the deaths of eight officers provoked outrage within the security agency.
He claimed operatives have since trailed his associates, harassed contacts, and pressured technology companies to limit cooperation with his media platform.
The activist further warned that his prolonged passport seizure was part of a calculated effort to trap him within Nigeria, exposing him to life-threatening risks.
Sowore recalled surviving earlier incidents which he directly linked to the secret police, including an attack inside a courtroom in Abuja in 2019 during his trial on treason charges.
He said those events, alongside his continued restriction from international travel, reflected a sustained campaign to silence his activism.
Sowore has long been one of Nigeria’s most outspoken opposition voices.
In 2019, he was arrested for initiating the “Revolution Now” movement, which called for nationwide protests against corruption and bad governance.
The DSS held him in custody for several months despite multiple court orders for his release, sparking condemnation from human rights groups and foreign governments.
Amnesty International later declared him a prisoner of conscience, insisting that he was targeted solely for exercising his right to free expression.
Sowore has maintained an uncompromising stance against successive Nigerian leaders, accusing them of looting state resources and failing to provide security.
Under the Tinubu administration, he has remained especially critical of economic policies, describing subsidy removal and currency devaluation as deliberate acts of impoverishment.
His latest allegations against the DSS add to a long list of accusations that the service has been used as a tool for political repression.
Civil society groups are expected to monitor developments closely as calls grow for authorities to respond to the claims.
As of press time, the DSS has not issued any official reaction to Sowore’s accusations.
Observers note that if his claims prove credible, they would further strain Nigeria’s democratic image and raise questions about the safety of dissenters.
For now, Sowore insists he will not be silenced despite the looming threats to his life.