Lawyer drags Gov. Sanwo-Olu to court for blocking him on X

Human rights lawyer, Festus Ogun, has dragged Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, before the Federal High Court in Lagos over what he described as a violation of his fundamental rights, following his blockage by the governor’s verified X (formerly Twitter) account.

The suit, marked FHC/L/CS/1739/25, was made public on Friday through Ogun’s Facebook page.

The lawyer alleged that the governor blocked him in 2021 in response to his “constructive criticisms” and “demand for accountability” regarding 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 further argued that the action has 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 urged the court to declare the governor’s action unconstitutional, arbitrary, and discriminatory.

According to the suit, 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.”

The lawyer also asked the court to compel Sanwo-Olu to unblock him, tender a public apology, and desist from targeting critics on social media.

“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, who said he has been “haunted, traumatised and emotionally disturbed” by the governor’s action, noted that the case was in the interest of the public.

“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 explained.

He further urged the court to be guided by a U.S. precedent.

“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 criticizing him on Twitter,” he stated.

Warning that intolerance to opposing views erodes democratic values, the lawyer stressed: “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.”

As of press time, officials of the Lagos State Government have not issued any response to the lawsuit.