Lawyer Drags Sanwo-Olu To Court For Blocking Him On X
•••Says Action Violates His Fundamental Rights
By Admin
LAGOS. – A Human rights lawyer, Festus Ogun, has dragged Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, before the Federal High Court in Lagos for allegedly violating his fundamental rights by blocking him on his verified X (formerly Twitter) account.
In the suit, marked FHC/L/CS/1739/25 and filed on Friday, Ogun claimed the governor blocked him in 2021 following his “constructive criticisms” and demands for accountability over the October 2020 #EndSARS shootings.
The lawyer, who shared details of the case on his Facebook page, said the action has deprived him of access to public information.
“Blocking me on X has prevented me from accessing updates and receiving information about policies and governance in Lagos. This violates my right to receive information without interference,” he stated.
Ogun is seeking a declaration that the governor’s decision was unconstitutional, arbitrary, and discriminatory. He also wants the court to compel Sanwo-Olu to unblock him, issue a public apology, and desist from targeting critics on social media.
Specifically, he asked for:
A declaration that Sanwo-Olu’s action in blocking him was wrongful and unconstitutional.
An order of perpetual injunction restraining the governor, his agents, or proxies from blocking him or any other citizen on X or similar platforms.
Describing himself as “haunted, traumatised and emotionally disturbed,” Ogun stressed that the case transcends personal interest.
“This lawsuit is not just about me. I filed it in the public interest, hoping it will set a precedent in Nigeria’s digital rights jurisprudence,” he explained.
To strengthen his argument, Ogun cited the 2019 U.S. case Knight First Amendment Institute v. Trump, where a court held that then-President Donald Trump violated citizens’ rights by blocking them on Twitter.
He argued that the governor’s action reflected a broader intolerance to dissent.
“Intolerance to criticism undermines democracy. Nigerian authorities have continued to clamp down on critics, journalists, and vocal citizens through arrests, detention, surveillance, collusion with big techs, and even blocking them online. That narrative must stop,” he warned.
•INDEPENDENTNG.