Human rights lawyer, Festus Ogun, has dragged Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, before the Federal High Court in Lagos, accusing him of violating his fundamental rights by blocking him on his verified X (formerly Twitter) account.
In a suit marked FHC/L/CS/1739/25 and shared on Friday, August 29, via his Facebook page, Ogun said the governor blocked him in 2021 following his “constructive criticisms” and “demand for accountability” over the October 2020 #EndSARS killings.
“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.
He argued that being blocked has deprived him of access to vital 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 his originating summons, Ogun asked the court to declare the governor’s action unconstitutional, arbitrary, and discriminatory.
He also sought “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.”
The lawyer further prayed the court to order Sanwo-Olu to unblock him, issue a public apology, and stop targeting critics online.
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The suit also sought “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.”
Ogun, who described himself as “haunted, traumatised and emotionally disturbed,” said the case was about more than personal grievance.
“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 asked the court to draw from international precedent, citing a 2019 ruling in the United States.
“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 insisted that intolerance to criticism erodes 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.