Courtroom Bursts Into Laughter During Playback Of Tinubu’s ‘No Corruption’ Speech In Sowore’s Cyberstalking Trial

There was mild drama at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday, January 22, 2026, when the entire courtroom erupted in uncontrollable laughter during the playback of a video clip from President Bola Tinubu’s speech delivered in Brazil on August 26, 2025. The video, tendered as evidence by the Department of State Services (DSS) in the ongoing cyberstalking case against human rights activist and SaharaReporters publisher, Omoyele Sowore, captured the President claiming he had “fought corruption to a standstill” and that “there is no corruption in Nigeria any longer.”

The unexpected outburst of laughter from lawyers, court officials, journalists, and even some spectators momentarily halted proceedings, as the claim was met with open disbelief and amusement. According to reports, the atmosphere in the courtroom shifted dramatically at that precise moment, highlighting the irony in the prosecution’s attempt to use the speech to bolster their case against Sowore.

At the resumed hearing before Justice Mohammed Umar, DSS counsel Akinlolu Kehinde, SAN, called the prosecution’s first witness, Cyril Nosike (PW-1), an operative of the service. Nosike testified that he had obtained screenshots of posts allegedly made by Sowore on his verified X (formerly Twitter) handle and Facebook page, where the activist described President Tinubu as “a criminal.” Following this, the video of Tinubu’s Brazil speech was played in open court as part of the evidence.

The case stems from Sowore’s social media posts criticizing the President, which the DSS alleges amount to cyberstalking and defamation under Nigeria’s Cybercrimes Act. Sowore, a former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) in the 2023 elections, has been vocal about government policies and has previously faced similar charges. In a counter-move, Sowore has sued the DSS, Meta, and X Corp, arguing that the actions infringe on his right to free speech as guaranteed by the Nigerian Constitution.

Adding to the courtroom theatrics, the prosecution accused Sowore of using his mobile phone to send messages during the proceedings. Sowore vehemently denied the allegation, but Justice Umar directed him to hand over his phone to his counsel for the duration of the hearing.

The prosecution also tendered the alleged posts from Sowore’s X and Facebook accounts, which were admitted as exhibits. Sowore’s lead counsel, Marshal Abubakar, reserved objections to the admissibility of these exhibits until the final written addresses and requested an adjournment to study the witness’s statement and other documents. Justice Umar granted the request, adjourning the matter to January 27, 2026, for cross-examination of the witness and continuation of the trial.

Reactions Pour In On Social Media
The incident quickly went viral on X, with Sowore himself sharing details of the hearing. In one post, he described how the proceedings “descended into farce” when the video was played, noting that “even court officials struggled to conceal their disgust.” Sahara Reporters, Sowore’s platform, also amplified the story, emphasizing the laughter as a sign of public skepticism toward the government’s anti-corruption claims.

Other users weighed in, with one post quoting a witness to the absurdity: “The courtroom erupted in laughter today as the DSS witness played the video of Tinubu stating he ended corruption in Nigeria.” The event has sparked broader discussions on free speech, government accountability, and the state of corruption in Nigeria, with many netizens expressing support for Sowore and questioning the validity of the charges.

This trial comes amid ongoing debates about the Tinubu administration’s handling of corruption allegations, including high-profile cases involving officials and the President’s own past controversies. Critics argue that such prosecutions are attempts to silence dissent, while supporters maintain they uphold the rule of law.