In a landmark decision, the Federal High Court in Lagos has mandated that former Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, and the Ministry of Information must reveal the details of the agreement between the Nigerian government and X (formerly Twitter).
The judgment, handed down by Justice Nnamdi Dimgba in May 2024, came in response to a Freedom of Information lawsuit filed by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP).
Justice Dimgba emphasized that the disclosure is in the public interest and will not compromise Nigeria’s national security or Twitter’s business interests.
The court dismissed the minister’s objections, noting that speculative concerns about potential harm to Twitter’s business were inadequate grounds for withholding the information.
Justice Dimgba spoke on the necessity of transparency, ensuring that the agreement complies with Nigeria’s human rights laws and international commitments.
Following the judgment, SERAP and human rights lawyer Femi Falana praised the ruling and urged President Bola Tinubu to comply with the court’s order.
They highlighted the importance of upholding the rule of law and protecting freedom of expression.
This case started after the Nigerian government banned Twitter in June 2021, a suspension lifted in January 2022 after negotiations.
The suspension was initially triggered by Twitter’s removal of a tweet from former President Muhammadu Buhari.
SERAP has called on President Tinubu to direct relevant government bodies to comply with the court’s directive and disclose the agreement details.
