Human rights lawyer Festus Ogun has taken Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to the Federal High Court, claiming the governor violated his rights by blocking him on X (formerly Twitter).
In the lawsuit (FHC/L/CS/1739/25), Ogun is asking the court to order the governor to unblock him and issue a public apology. He alleges the block came after he criticized Sanwo-Olu’s policies and demanded accountability over the October 2020 #EndSARS incident.
Ogun said the block prevented him from accessing official updates and public information, which he argues infringes on his right to receive information. He described the action as arbitrary, discriminatory, and unconstitutional.
He also requested a permanent court order preventing the governor from blocking him or other citizens on social media in the future. Highlighting the wider implications, Ogun said the case goes beyond his personal grievance and aims to strengthen digital rights in Nigeria.
The lawyer referenced a 2019 U.S. court ruling in Knight First Amendment Institute v. Trump, where President Trump was found to have violated free speech by blocking critics on Twitter. Ogun warned that limiting criticism undermines democracy and that authorities should stop using social media restrictions to silence dissenting voices.
