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Lawyer drags Sanwo-Olu to court, claims X blocking caused him emotional trauma

A human rights lawyer, Festus Ogun, has filed a legal action against Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos for blocking him on X - the microblogging platform formerly known as Twitter.

Ogun said he noticed that in 2021, Sanwo-Olu blocked him on his official X handle, attributing the decision to his constructive criticisms of the Governor's policies and his demand for accountability regarding the October 2020 #EndSARS Massacre that was perpetrated under his watch.

Filing the suit before the Federal High Court in Lagos, the lawyer claimed that Sanwo-Olu's decision to block him on the social media platform took an emotional and mental toll on him.

He described the Governor's action as “wrongful, unconstitutional, arbitrary and constitutes a gross violation” of his fundamental rights to freedom of expression and freedom from discrimination based on political opinion.

ALSO READ: Forgive Fubara as you did Sanwo-Olu - Bode George tells Tinubu in June 12 message

Therefore, the Lagos-based lawyer prayed the court to declare Sanwo-Olu's action as unlawful, considering his position as a democratically elected public official whose official social media handles serve as an important source of information.

The rights activist is seeking a court order compelling the Lagos Governor to issue a public apology to him, to be published on Sanwo-Olu’s verified X account, for the “gross violation” of his rights, as well as the “emotional trauma and mental distress” the action had caused him.

“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 violation of the Applicant’s fundamental right to freedom of expression,” read the suit posted on X by Ogun.

“A DECLARATION that the Respondent’s blocking of the Applicant on X. owing to the Applicant’s political opinion and criticism of the Respondent, is wrongful, unconstitutional, arbitrary and constitutes a gross violation of Applicant’s fundamental right to freedom from discrimination on the basis of political opinion.

“AN ORDER mandating/directing the Respondent to immediately unblock the Applicant’s X account (@mrfestusogun).

“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 wherein the Respondent operates official social media handles.

ALSO READ: 'It’s all over now, all is forgiven' — Tinubu reportedly makes peace with Sanwo-Olu

“A PUBLIC APOLOGY to the Applicant, by the Respondent, published on his X (formerly “Twitter”) handle (@jidesanwoolu) for the gross violation of the Applicant’s fundamental rights to freedom of expression and its associated emotional trauma and mental distress; not later than 7 days after judgment.”

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