Human rights lawyer, Festus Ogun, has instituted a legal action against Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, before the Federal High Court in Lagos over the governor’s decision to block him on X (formerly Twitter).
Ogun, in the suit marked FHC/L/CS/1739/25, alleged that his fundamental rights were violated by the governor’s action, which he linked to his criticisms of government policies and demand for accountability during the October 2020 #EndSARS protests.
“In 2021, I noticed that the Governor blocked me on his official X handle @jidesanwoolu owing to my constructive criticisms of his policies and demand for accountability in respect of the October 2020 #EndSARS Massacre,” Ogun wrote.
The lawyer, who disclosed the suit on his Facebook page, maintained that being blocked since 2021 had denied him access to important public information.
“Blocking me on X has prevented me from accessing public updates and receiving information about policies and governance in Lagos, which constitutes a violation of my right to receive information without interference,” he said.
In the originating summons, Ogun asked the court to declare the governor’s action unconstitutional and discriminatory.
He also urged the court to compel Sanwo-Olu to unblock him, tender an apology, and desist from targeting critics on social media.
According to the summons, he is seeking “a declaration that, as a democratically-elected public office holder in Nigeria, the Respondent (@jidesanwoolu)’s blocking of the Applicant (@mrfestusogun), a citizen of Nigeria and resident of Lagos State, on X (formerly ‘Twitter’) is wrongful, unconstitutional, arbitrary and constitutes a gross.”
“An order of perpetual injunction restraining the Respondent, his agents, privies or any other person or entity acting through or on his behalf, from further blocking the Applicant on X or any other social media platform,” the suit read.
Ogun explained that the case was not only about him but about protecting digital rights in Nigeria.
“This suit is not just about me. I have filed this lawsuit in furtherance of public interest and with the hope that it sets a precedent in our digital rights jurisprudence,” he said.
He also referenced a 2019 ruling in the United States where former President Donald Trump was found to have violated citizens’ rights by blocking them on Twitter.
“I invited the Nigerian court to be persuaded by the decision of the US District Court in Knight First Amendment Institute v Trump where President Trump was found to be in violation of the 1st Amendment when he blocked US citizens for criticising him on Twitter,” he stated.
Ogun further argued that silencing dissenting voices is a threat to democracy.
“Intolerance to criticism and accountability is unconstitutional and undemocratic.
“Nigerian authorities continue to crack down on dissents, critics, journalists, bloggers and vocal citizens on social media using arrests, detention, surveillance, collusion with big techs and outright blocking, as weapons. That narrative must stop,” he warned.