Human rights lawyer, Festus Ogun, has dragged Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, to court for allegedly violating his fundamental rights by blocking him on X (formerly Twitter).
Ogun revealed that the governor blocked him back in 2021, shortly after he criticized Sanwo-Olu and demanded accountability over the October 2020 #EndSARS killings.
The lawyer argued that the action has deprived him of access to vital governance updates and public information shared through the governor’s official page.
In the suit filed at the Federal High Court in Lagos, Ogun is seeking:
• A declaration that the governor’s action is unconstitutional, arbitrary, and discriminatory.
• An order compelling Sanwo-Olu to unblock him and issue a public apology.
• A restraining order preventing the governor from blocking critics in the future.
Ogun also cited a 2019 U.S. ruling where former President Donald Trump was held liable for violating citizens’ rights by blocking them on Twitter.
Describing the case as a fight for public interest, he stated:
“Intolerance to criticism and accountability is unconstitutional and undemocratic. Nigerian authorities continue to crack down on 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.”
See screenshots below:
