The Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has unblocked Nigerian human rights lawyer, Festus Ogun, on X (formerly Twitter), marking the end of a four-year dispute that began in 2021 and culminated in a lawsuit at the Federal High Court in Lagos.
The resolution followed a peace meeting at Lagos House, Marina, on Friday.
The standoff originated in 2021 when Festus Ogun alleged that Governor Sanwo-Olu blocked him on X due to his “constructive criticisms” of government policies and his sustained calls for accountability over the October 2020 #EndSARS massacre.
Ogun, a vocal rights activist, argued that the governor’s action was a deliberate attempt to silence dissent, as it denied him access to governance-related updates and excluded him from participating in public discourse.
In 2025, after years of demanding redress, Ogun filed a suit at the Federal High Court, Lagos (Suit No: FHC/L/CS/1739/25). In his filings, he accused the governor of violating his constitutional rights to freedom of expression and access to information.
He asked the court to declare Sanwo-Olu’s action unconstitutional, arbitrary, and discriminatory. His prayers included an order compelling the governor to unblock him, issue a public apology, and desist from blocking critics of government online.
Ogun described the experience as leaving him “haunted, traumatised, and emotionally disturbed,” insisting that the case went beyond personal grievance.
He urged the court to consider international precedents, citing the 2019 United States ruling in Knight First Amendment Institute v. Trump, where a federal court held that public officials could not block critics on Twitter as it infringed on constitutional rights.
The legal battle took a new turn on Friday, 12 September 2025, when Sanwo-Olu invited Ogun to Lagos House, Marina, for an amicable settlement.
After the meeting, Ogun confirmed that the governor had unblocked him and provided clarifications about the circumstances that led to the initial blocking.
“Lagos Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has unblocked me on X (Twitter). I met briefly with him yesterday at Lagos House Marina, on his invitation, to amicably resolve my complaint of human rights violations. We will continue to hold authorities accountable, regardless. Aluta continua!” Ogun wrote on social media.
The lawyer expressed appreciation to his lawyer, Desmond Tobe Oris, who accompanied him during the mediation.
Although the development effectively ended a long-running standoff, Ogun reaffirmed his commitment to holding public officials accountable. He stressed that the settlement would not soften his advocacy for justice, transparency, and democratic freedoms in Nigeria.
The case, observers note, has also reignited debate over digital rights, freedom of expression, and the responsibilities of public officials on social media platforms, especially in a country still grappling with democratic consolidation.
