In a statement posted on X on Sunday, September 7, 2025, Sani addressed the ongoing debate over social media regulation, sparked by a recent demand from the Department of State Services (DSS) to remove a controversial post by activist Omoyele Sowore.

Sowore’s post in August featured a video of President Bola Tinubu during a trip to Brazil, where the activist labeled the president a “criminal” and referenced alleged corruption. 

On Saturday, the DSS formally requested that X remove Sowore’s tweet and related content, intensifying discussions about online regulation.

Sani acknowledged the potential for social media to be misused for hate, harassment, defamation, and incitement to violence. However, he cautioned against heavy-handed regulation, noting its potential to undermine democratic principles. 

“If you regulate social media, you trample on freedom of speech and shield governments, states, and institutions from being held accountable,” he wrote on X. 

“If you don’t regulate social media, it becomes a tool for hate, harassment, defamation, corrupting culture, and incitement to violence.”

Drawing a global perspective, Sani pointed out that even Western democracies struggle to balance regulation with free expression, citing how some countries assess social media accounts for visa applications. 

He likened social media to a gun, capable of both preventing and committing harm, and urged democratic states to find a careful balance between upholding rights and ensuring decency.

“Democratic states must find and uphold that balance between rights and decency,” Sani concluded, emphasizing the need for cautious and balanced approaches to social media regulation to protect both accountability and free expression.