African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate and activist Omoyele Sowore has accused Nigeria’s Department of State Services (DSS) of monitoring his movements during his visit to Port Harcourt, Rivers State, for the Nigerian Bar Association’s Annual General Conference.
Sowore made the allegation in a post on X on Tuesday, claiming that his team discovered an electronic tracking device underneath a security vehicle they had been using.
According to Sowore, the discovery followed what he described as suspicious vehicle movements after he addressed participants at a Kay Hikers gathering in the city.
He said his team subsequently decided to change vehicles, after which they inspected the security vehicle and allegedly found an electronic tracking device attached underneath it.
Sowore attributed the alleged surveillance to DSS operatives, writing that the agency had apparently been tracking his movements since his arrival in Port Harcourt.
He ended his post with the remark: “They are really scared!”
The allegation gained further attention on Wednesday after reports said Sowore released details, including the IMEI associated with the device, and vowed to continue investigating its alleged connection to the DSS.
However, the discovery of a tracking device by itself does not establish who installed it or who operated it. Sowore has alleged that the DSS was responsible, but the agency had not publicly confirmed responsibility for the device as of the latest reports.
The allegation comes amid longstanding tensions between Sowore and Nigeria's security authorities. He is currently involved in an ongoing Federal High Court case in Abuja in which the DSS is prosecuting him over social-media posts, according to recent court reporting.
Sowore was also among political figures who took part in high-profile discussions at the NBA conference, where presidential candidates debated security, policing and governance issues.
As of the latest available reports, the DSS had not issued a public response specifically confirming or denying Sowore's allegation that its operatives placed the tracking device on the vehicle.
The incident therefore remains an allegation by Sowore pending an independent examination of the device, identification of its owner or operator, and any response from the DSS or other relevant authorities.
If confirmed, the use of an undisclosed electronic tracker against a political figure would raise significant questions about surveillance, privacy, security-agency powers and the treatment of political opponents in Nigeria.
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